


LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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COBOMGHT DEPOSm 






THE TURK AND HIS 
LOST PROVINCES 



r^^TURK and HIS 
LOST PROVINCES 



GREECE 

BULGARIA 
S E R VI A 
BOSNIA 



WILLIAM ELEROY CURTIS 

Author of "The True Thomas Jefferson," ''The Yankees of the 
East," "Between the Andes and the Ocean,"" etc. 




CHICAGO NEW YORK TORONTO 

FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY 
LONDON & EDINBURGH 
MCMIII 



THE LIBRARY 0F 
CONGRESS, 

Two Copies Received 

APR 17 1903 

Copyiigiil Entry 
CUjx-. I D- / if '^ 
CLASS '^ XXc. No. 

c6py b. 



Copyright, 1903, by 

Fi^KMiNG H. re;ve;ivIv company 

(April) 






Chicago: 63 Washington Street 
New York; 158 Fifth Avenue 
Toronto 27 Richmond Street, W 
London: 21 Paternoster Square 
Edinburgh: 30 St. Mary Street 



PREFACE 

Von Moltke, the great German soldier, predicted 
that a universal war would be fought under the walls 
of Constantinople. He had faith that the Christian 
Powers of Europe, sooner or later, would compel the 
Turks to respect their moral, political, and financial 
obligations. This would have been done years ago 
but for the jealousy of those Powers, and the thousands 
of innocent MacedxDnians who have been massacred 
and the hundreds of thousands who have suffered from 
Turkish cruelty are the victims of that jealousy. The 
Czar would intervene, but England, France, Austria, 
and Germany will not permit him to do so for fear 
Russia will obtain a port upon the Mediterranean. At 
intervals the uprisings in Macedonia have indicated the 
approach of hostilities. They have grown more fre- 
quent and serious until, as this little book goes to 
press, Russia and Austria have demanded a better gov- 
ernment for Macedonia, and the Sultan has responded 
by ordering 250,000 Turkish troops into that province. 
Diplomatic negotiations and empty assurances may 
again avert war, but every sign indicates that Von 
Moltke's prophecy is soon to be fulfilled. The purpose 
of this publication is to give English readers a few 
facts about the several "buffer states" of the Balkan 
Peninsula which cannot be elsewhere obtained. It is 
the result of a journey through that peninsula as corre- 
spondent of The Chicago Record-Herald, and although 
the author realizes that it is defective and incomplete, 
he is confident that the American public will appreciate 
his efforts to give them the timely information it 
contains. 

5 



CONTENTS 



THE GREAT TURK AND HIS CAPITAL 

I. The Lost Provinces 
11. The Turkish Government . 
HI. The Sultan and His Family 
IV. The Selamlik 
V. The City of the Grand Turk 
VI. Scenes in Constantinople . 
VII, Mosques and Palaces . 
VIII. Robert College and the Missionaries 



13 

35 

54 
82 

91 
107 
126 
142 



BULGARIA 

IX. Recent History and Politics 
X. The People of Bulgaria 
XI. The Kidnaping of Miss Stone 



165 
191 
217 



SERVIA 

XII. The Political Situation in Servia 
XIII. The Capital of Servia 



243 

257 



BOSNIA 

XIV. A Remarkable Example of Administration 273 



GREECE 

XV, From Corfu to Corinth 
XVI, Modern Athens . 
XVII. Shrines and Temples . 



• 311 

• 332 
. 369 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

Facing Page ^ 

A Shazi — a Mohammedan Fanatic 49 

Gate to Dalma-Baghtcheh Palace, Constantinople .... 69 " 

A Street of Constantinople 91 " 

The Seraglio, Constantinople 92 ' 

Fire Brigade, Constantinople 116 '' , 

Beyler-Bey Palace, Constantinople 132 

Sulieman Mosque, Constantinople 136 • 

Robert College, Constantinople 142 - 

Sofia, the Capital of Bulgaria 166 • 

House of the Sobranye, Sofia 176 - 

Monastery of St. John of Ryle, Bulgaria 186 y 

Royal Palace at Sofia ^^1 

y 

Business Street in Sofia 198 ' 

Military Club at Sofia 200 

A Macedonian Ready for Revolution 239 

King Alexander of Servia 24B 

Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria ' 248 

A Glimpse of Modern Belgrade 259 

Royal Palace at Belgrade 260 

A Glimpse of Old Belgrade 262 

Government Hotels, Bosnia 296 

Jev^ish Cemetery in Bosnia 299 ■ 

A Young and an Old Corinthian 322 

Ruins of Ancient Corinth 328 

Modern Athens 332 

Modern Athenians 335 

The Museum at Athens 357 

Mars Hill, Athens . . .' 378 

Temple of Theseus, Athens 380 



PART I 

The Great Turk and His Capital 



The Turk and His Lost Provinces 
PART I 

THE GREAT TURK AND HIS CAPITAL 

I 

THE LOST PROVINCES 

The next battle-ground of Europe, like the last, 
will be the so-called Balkan Peninsula, comprising a 
group of petty states lying south of Austria-Hungary, 
bounded on one side by the Adriatic, on the other by 
the Black Sea, and on the south by the ^Egean Sea. 
It is one of the most primitive, yet one of the first 
settled sections of Europe, where kings and queens and 
coutts shone resplendent in ermine and jewels when 
Germany, Great Britain and France were still overrun 
by barbarians. The earliest inhabitants were the 
Dacians or Getse, who had reached a considerable 
degree of culture when we first hear of them, from 
Pliny and Herodotus, resisting the invasion of Darius, 
the Persian, five centuries before Christ. A hundred 
years later, when Philip of Macedon besieged one of 
their cities, and was about to give a signal for the 
assault, the gates opened and a long line of priests, 
clad in robes of snow-white linen, came forth with 
musical instruments in their hands, singing songs of 
peace. Philip was so impressed by this demonstration 
that he laid down his sword, married the daughter of 
their king, and entered into a treaty of alliance with 
them. 

13 



14 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

They fought Alexander the Great; they resisted the 
Roman legions; and Julius Caesar was planning a 
campaign against them when he fell in the forum with 
the dagger of Brutus in his breast. Trajan subdued 
them, and the story of his marvelous campaign is 
carved in marble upon his column in Rome. Theirs 
was the last province to be added to the Roman 
Empire and the first to go at its dissolution. The ter- 
ritory was fought over at frequent intervals by con- 
tending forces to the end of the fourteenth century, 
when, one after another, the several Christian states 
which composed the Bulgarian Empire were subdued 
by the Ottoman invaders who, in 1529 and 1683, actu- 
ally reached the gates of Vienna. For nearly five cen- 
turies they submitted to the yoke of the Sultan and, 
like all his subjects, were gradually submerged in 
political, moral, intellectual and commercial oblivion. 
The existence of the once powerful people was almost 
forgotten. They lay helpless and hopeless under the 
heel of a vindictive and merciless despot until what 
were termed "the Bulgarian atrocities" excited uni- 
versal horror in 1875-77, Then Russia intervened on 
the pretext of racial and religious relationship, and 
attempted to take them from Turkey. 

The original Treaty of San Stefano, which fixed the 
terms of peace exacted by the Czar from the Sultan, 
would almost have restored the boundaries of the 
ancient Bulgarian Empire, given its people theoretical 
independence under his protection, and reduced Euro- 
pean Turkey to a narrow strip of territory; but the 
jealousy of the other Powers would not permit it. 
Russia must not be allowed to extend her sphere of 
influence towards the Mediterranean, England and 
Germany interfered, called a conference of nations at 



THE LOST PROVINCES 15 

Berlin, tore up the Treaty of San Stefano, restored a 
large area to the Turkish Empire, and left a group of 
small, weak states to stand as a buffer between the 
Sultan and his aggressive neighbors. 

This was done upon certain conditions. Positive 
pledges were exacted from the Sultan concerning the 
administration and taxation of the restored provinces, 
particularly that the inhabitants should be given relig- 
ious liberty, and be governed by officials of their own 
faith. Not one of these conditions has been fulfilled, 
and the most appalling injustice and cruelties have 
been practiced year after year, similar to those which 
occurred in Bulgaria and provoked the Turko-Russian 
war. Human life and property have been held as 
worthless by the Turkish officials and military garri- 
sons. No woman has been safe from their lust. No 
man has been allowed to accumulate property or to 
improve his condition without exciting the avarice of 
the tax-gatherer and the military commandant. It has 
been useless for the inhabitants to save money or pro- 
duce more than enough to supply their own wants, for 
the slightest surplus would attract attention and be 
stolen from the owner. The Christian population have 
had no standing in the courts and are often prohib- 
ited from practicing their religion. The number of 
lives wantonly taken, the number of homes wantonly 
destroyed, the number of women ravished and the 
number of children butchered in the Turkish provinces 
of Europe, particularly in Rumelia, where the popu- 
lation is almost entirely Christian, would shock the 
world if the truth were known, notwithstanding, year 
after year, the Powers of Europe have permitted these 
barbarities to continue. The other provinces, Kosovo, 
Monastir, Salonika and Scutari, have suffered severely, 



1 6 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

but the barbarities have not been so extended nor 
general; and they are not in such a state of anarchy, 
but are ripe for rebellion. Macedonia, as Eastern 
Rumelia is familiarly called, is the center of dis- 
turbance. 

An occasional insurrection or lawless incident of 
which a foreigner has been the victim, such as the kid- 
naping of Miss Stone, has attracted public attention, 
and frequent written protests have been filed at the 
Sublime Porte by the ambassadors at Constantinople, 
in which the Sultan has been warned that the atrocities 
would not longer be tolerated, and has been admonished 
to repentance and reform. But, instead of improv- 
ing, the conditions have grown worse. Each of these 
diplomatic episodes has been followed by more serious 
exactions and persecutions. Every remonstrance has 
been the signal for an increase of the military garri- 
son in Macedonia, greater restrictions upon the liber- 
ties of the people, and the arrest and imprisonment of 
patriots who were suspected of having inspired the 
protests. This fact is well known at every embassy in 
Constantinople and at every foreign office in Europe, 
both from official and unofficial information. Every 
one who cares to know the truth may learn it without 
the slightest trouble. 

How long the Powers of Europe will permit the 
Sultan to defy them and the present conditions to 
continue are questions often asked both in private and 
in public, but never answered. The Powers are too much 
engrossed in their own troubles to hear the cry from 
Macedonia, "Come and help us!" for neither their 
pride nor their pockets nor their politics are affected 
by the sufferings of a distant people whose commerce 
is insignificant and who have no influence in interna- 



THE LOST PROVINCES 17 

tional affairs. Russia and Greece are the only sym- 
pathetic nations. They belong to the same race and 
profess the same religion. Greece, being feeble, is 
powerless, although her recent disastrous war with 
Turkey secured the partial emancipation of Crete. 
The Czar would instantly go to the relief of the Mace- 
donians were he not restrained by the jealousy of Ger- 
many, Austria and England. The British people will 
stand unmoved and permit the entire Macedonian 
population to be exterminated rather than allow Rus- 
sia to gain a political advantage or extend her bound- 
aries towards the Bosphorus. Nor will Austria allow 
any interference lest her manufacturers lose an insig- 
nificant market. 

Austria is the natural protector of the people of the 
Balkan Peninsula, and her administration of affairs in 
Bosnia has been remarkable for tact, intelligence and 
success. If she were allowed to extend a protectorate 
over Servia, Bulgaria, Macedonia and the other coun- 
tries and provinces, and introduce among them the 
same reforms that have been admirably carried out in 
the countries on the Adriatic, which the Berlin Con- 
ference intrusted to her care, it would be an unmeas- 
ured blessing; but neither Germany, England nor 
Russia would permit such an arrangement. 

Germany is more culpable than any of the other 
nations, because its government sustains and protects 
the Sultan in his atrocious policy of administration, not 
only in Macedonia, but in all parts of the "Near 
East." No diplomatist of ancient or modern times 
has been more shrewd and skillful in profiting by the 
rivalries of his enemies. He knows that Germany will 
not allow Russia, England or Austria to punish him; 
therefore he can afford to defy them, and treat the 



1 8 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

remonstrances of their ambassadors with contempt. 
It must amuse His Majesty the Sultan to read the 
signature of the German ambassador at the bottom of 
the frequent diplomatic notes that are handed to him 
concerning the misgovernment jof his empire, and we 
can imagine his large, sad eyes grow merry at the 
farces so frequently enacted at the Yildiz Kiosk, when 
the representatives of the Powers appear in their 
radiant uniforms, as they often do, to remonstrate 
against his inhumanity to his Christian subjects, 
and the massacres that are committed at his very 
doors. He realizes, and he knows that they realize, 
that the slightest interference by force on the part of 
any one sovereign will provoke another and even more 
emphatic remonstrance elsewhere, lest some political 
or commercial advantage may be gained. When the 
situation grows serious, however, he grants another 
profitable concession to some German syndicate as an 
additional policy of insurance against intervention. 

The continual extension of German enterprise in the 
Ottoman Empire makes the reform of abuses more 
difficult and the position of the Sultan more secure. If 
Germany will cultivate his good will to obtain con- 
cessions, their possession will make it necessary for 
Germany to protect them. The invasion of Turkey by 
a foreign army, the disturbance of commerce and 
industrial conditions, would be a serious danger to 
German investments already there, and the longer 
such interference is postponed the more serious that 
danger will be, because those investments are rapidly 
multiplying and gaining in importance. The peace 
of Turkey and the maintenance of present conditions 
are essential to their profit. Thus the Kaiser stands 
as the nurse of the Sick Man of the East. 



THE LOST PROVINCES 19 

There are few German investments in European 
Turkey, because the anarchy which has prevailed there 
for many years has kept capital and immigrants away; 
but throughout the other Balkan States German enter- 
prise is taking the lead in every line of trade and in- 
dustry, and pushing the sales of German goods. In 
Asia Minor, Armenia, Syria, Palestine and other parts 
of Turkey, the Germans are already numerous and are 
increasing. They have greater privileges and better 
advantages than any other class. The significance and 
value of the Kaiser's friendship for the Sultan is appre- 
ciated, not only by the officials, but by the public at 
large, and for that reason Germans are exempt from 
many, if .not all, of the annoyances suffered by other 
foreigners. 

It is useless to speculate as to what might happen 
if the friendship of the German Emperor for Abdul 
Hamid w-^re withdrawn. History teaches that political 
problems in Turkey cannot be solved by the same 
rules that apply to other countries. The Sultan and 
his ministers are not to be considered as logical or 
rational beings. The extraordinary skill which they 
have displayed in eluding the frequent crises that 
have occurred in recent years, offers no ground upon 
which to base a prediction, but the Germans are not 
to be involved in any ordinary complication. The 
latest episode was the seizure of the island of Mitylene 
by a French fleet to enforce the payment of money due 
French contractors who built the docks at Salonika. 
The Sultan appealed to the Kaiser to extend his good 
offices in arranging an amicable settlement, and the 
German Minister of Foreign Relations advised the 
Turkish ambassador at Berlin to pay the bill. The 
bill was not paid, but a mortgage upon the future 



20 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

receipts of a Turkish custom house was given instead, 
and the French fleet withdrew; but when the mortgage 
falls due, two years hence, it will be necessary to send 
another fleet to collect it, for the Sultan never keeps 
his promises nor pays his bills until he is com- 
pelled to. The Kaiser is too shrewd to become 
involved in such a scandal; but if the French go so far 
as to interfere with German interests in Turkey or the 
Balkan States, they will undoubtedly meet with resist- 
ance. 

The desperate state of affairs in Macedonia, or East- 
ern Rumelia, as that province is named on the map, 
is attracting no marked attention in Europe. This 
apathy, however, cannot long continue, for sooner or 
later some nation, whether from humanity or selfishness, 
will interfere and provoke hostilities in which all the 
Powers of Europe must become engaged. The seeds 
and causes of conflict are there, and cannot be exter- 
minated without a struggle. The Austrians could do 
more than any other nation were they permitted to 
make the attempt. They have already demonstrated 
in Bosnia their ability to regenerate and govern a 
mongrel population, but the ambition and purpose of 
Russia, ever since the Romanoff dynasty came into 
power, has been to make Constantinople its southern 
capital, and add the Ottoman Empire to its own. 

In Bulgaria, Servia and Roumania, disorganization 
and decay are advancing more rapidly than the ele- 
ments of progress. These nations are becoming poorer 
and weaker because of misgovernment for which there 
is no hope of reform. Before many years their condi- 
tion will have reached a crisis that will call for interven- 
tion. Russian influence is now supreme in Roumania 
and Bulgaria, and the Servians are willing to submit 



THE LOST PROVINCES 21 

to Russian domination under certain contingencies; 
but Austria lies just across the Danube, and, as the 
nearest neighbor, takes a deep interest in Servian 
affairs. 

It is probable that trouble will ultimately arise 
through collisions between the Bulgarian patriots and 
the Turkish troops in Macedonia. They occur fre- 
quently. Scarcely a month passes without a skirmish 
upon the border between brigands, as they are usually 
called, and Turkish military guards. Bulgarian citi- 
zens are being arrested continually and imprisoned in 
Turkish jails, and the Bulgarian government is always 
making useless protests to the authorities at Constanti- 
nople. The fact that Bulgaria is nominally under a 
Turkish protectorate complicates matters and gives 
an additional excuse for hostilities on the Turkish side, 
for the tribute which was agreed upon at the Berlin 
Conference has never been paid, and never will be. 
Even if there were a disposition on the part of the 
Bulgarians to comply with this stipulation, it would 
be difficult for them to raise the funds; thus the debt 
continues to pile up year after year, until Turkey, when 
the Sultan considers it wise to act, willzmake a demand 
and call upon the Powers to enforce it. 

The casus belli is always on the side of the Turk. 
Bulgarians are continually invading Turkish territory, 
and it is the policy of the Sultan to shoot them when 
his soldiers can catch them, and say nothing about it. 
If Bulgaria makes a complaint, it is claimed that the 
dead men were brigands, caught with arms in their 
hands, and that the government is trying to sup- 
press brigandage. Some day, however, the Bulgarian 
people will not be satisfied with this answer. They 
will insist that their government demand reparation 



22 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

from Turkey, and make a hostile demonstration that 
shall attract the attention of Europe. If Turkey "calls 
the bluff," and sends her troops over the border, Bul- 
garia will appeal to the Powers fbr protection, and thus 
force the Macedonian cause upon their notice. This 
would have occurred long ago but for the inability of 
Bulgaria to raise funds to equip and pay her army, the 
indifference of Prince Ferdinand and the lack of 
leadership. The influence of Russia is against radical 
measures also, because she does not think the time is 
ripe. If Stambouloff had lived, the situation in Bul- 
garia might have been very different from what it is 
to-day. His death removed the chief obstacle to Rus- 
sian domination and left Bulgaria a mere pawn in the 
great game of diplomacy which the Czar is now play- 
ing with the other sovereigns of Europe. 

An American gentleman who has spent his life in 
Turkey, and is familiar with the situation throughout 
the country, describes it as follows: "The state of the 
Turkish Empire — morally, socially, financially and 
politically — betokens the coming of a night of anguish. 
In every department of government the amount of 
shameless iniquity is appalling. Simony and bribery, 
treachery and extortion, always present, but once wont 
to hide themselves, have lost all shame and fear of re- 
buke, and are hideous in the irramifications. Socially 
the situation everywhere is dismal. You read of 
riots and bloodshed in Albania, in Montenegro, along 
the frontiers of Bulgaria, and more recent outrages and 
bloodshed in Armenia. Things are not quite so bad in 
Syria, though they are on the way to it. During the 
past four years emissaries from Constantinople of a 
certain type have sown seeds of bitterness among the 
]^oslems and Christians until their relations to each 



THE LOST PROVINCES 23 

other are marked with unusual hostility, suspicion and 
open bloodshed. Even in Beirut, one of the most 
peaceful and progressive communities in the empire, 
an active vendetta is in progress and almost nightly- 
men are murdered. No one is punished, no one's life 
is safe. It would seem as though the very foundations 
of the social fabric had fallen. 

"I can give you in brief the reasons why this awful 
state of affairs will continue: The corruption of the 
courts, in which all crimes are condoned for money. 
The sole ambition of the unpaid officials, after the 
collection of the exorbitant taxes, is to get a hold 
upon citizens of every degree and by means of charges, 
false or true, extort money from them. I have lived 
in Turkey more than eighteen years, and have yet to 
hear the innocence or guilt of a prisoner or criminal 
dwelt upon. The officials apparently exult in the 
ihcrease of crime, caring only for the bribes and gifts 
resulting therefrom, while the wretched people caught, 
seek only for a way by which they can get free from 
the clutches of these minions of the law. No one ever 
places any moral weight on the judgments delivered, 
for in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred they are 
worse than worthless. I am measuring my words and 
know whereof I speak. 

'The second fruitful cause is the centralization of 
absolute power in Constantinople and the treacherous 
subversion of every vestige of civil rights ever 
enjoyed by the people. The present Sultan, years 
ago, instituted a policy by which he was to become the 
absolute master of everything in the empire. The 
military establishment, in its six great divisions, takes 
its orders direct from Abdul Hamid. Civil affairs are 
supposed to be administered through the vilayets 



24 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

(some thirty-five in all). In former times the chief 
officials, civil and military, were almost absolute in 
their departments and are still so in theory. But in 
recent years the Sultan, by an invidious system of 
imperial irades or edicts, has filched away every priv- 
ilege and prerogative of these provincial officials. 
Constantinople has become a huge auction-market 
where every position in the empire is bought or sold 
for a price. Worse than this is the ominous fact that 
the high provincial officials, who once had the power 
to punish or remove a disobedient or unworthy subor- 
dinate, are now powerless to effect any reform. When 
an official falls under their displeasure or judgment, the 
matter must be referred to Constantinople. The delin- 
quent hurries off to the capital and returns with an 
imperial rescript in his hand, confirming him in 
his position and enabling him to defy courts and judg- 
ments, officials and public opinion. By this process 
the Sultan has insidiously undermined and completely 
overthrown the legitimate form of government and 
replaced it by a set of spies, iniquitous and despicable 
beyond description. The despotic master and the 
irresponsible clique which has displaced the real gov- 
ernment, have now extended their abominable prac- 
tices and travesty of justice to the ends of the empire. 
As a result good men are disheartened and are leav- 
ing the empire by thousands. Everyone who ever 
expressed dissatisfaction with the present regime or 
sighs for reform or change for the better is instantly 
branded as one of the Young Turkish party and treated 
as a felon. So the empire has fallen into the hands of 
the worst elements — parasites and sycophants who are 
mocking and baffling one another in every department, 
while the common people are trampled under foot. 



THE LOST PROVINCES 25 

"The third cause of corruption and lawlessness is, if 
possible, worse than all. Immediately after the mas- 
sacres in Armenia and Constantinople there were thou- 
sands of soldiers, military officers and civil officials 
whose hands were dyed with innocent human blood, 
and whose pockets and houses were filled with the 
accursed plunder which they were allowed to take as 
their reward. Fearing at that time that the Powers 
might seek the punishment of these red-handed mur- 
derers, the Sultan began a wholesale shifting of them 
to all parts of the empire, so that in every district we 
have thousands of these brutes who participated in the 
killing of 100,000 Armenians. No one was ever pun- 
ished, no one was ever rebuked. Europe, in her piti- 
ful jealousies, failed to exact punishment for anyone. 
In a little time the Sultan and all his miserable crew 
came to glory in this colossal crime. But retribution 
is coming. The Albanians and the Kurds, after such 
orgies of lawlessness and bloodshed, rapine and plun- 
der, could never be expected to relapse into law-abid- 
ing citizens of any empire, and so they are completely 
out of hand and at this moment shaking off the last 
shadow of control from Constantinople. Those parts 
of the empire which were once safe and law-abiding 
are now preyed upon by treacherous spies and men 
whose sense of decency and justice was forever blotted 
out by their acts in Armenia. So neither Europe nor 
the world need express any surprise as the hand of God 
rolls up the stormclouds of retribution and smites the 
empire with the awful agonies of the coming night." 

Unspeakable horrors have been constantly occurring 
in this corner of the earth, and will continue to occur 
so long as Turks are permitted to govern Christian 
communities. The present management of the Mace- 



26 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

donian Committee is patriotic, unselfish and honest. 
The previous administration was corrupt and vicious, 
but no one will suggest that the sufferings of the 
Christian citizens of Turkish provinces should be pro- 
longed, even though bandits and blackmailers may be 
interested in their redemption. The world owes a 
duty to the people of Macedonia. So far as Armenia 
is concerned, anything more than diplomatic interven- 
tion is impracticable, and civilized nations can only 
continue to exert moral pressure on the Sultan in its 
behalf. But Macedonia is in an entirely different 
position. There will be no difficulty in reaching the 
sufferers with a fleet or an army of rescue if necessary, 
because its ports are on this side of the Dardanelles, 
and the continued violation of treaty stipulations will 
justify forcible interference. Every day the situation 
becomes more and more serious, the necessity for 
action more urgent. 

The number of Bulgarians and other Christians mas- 
sacred in Rumelia and other Turkish provinces will 
never be known. There is no hope that time will 
effect any change for the better. The motives for 
murder, torture and oppression are too deep-seated 
for moral suasion or diplomatic negotiation to reach. 
So long as the Christians submit patiently to every 
wrong that may be inflicted upon them, so long will 
they be permitted to live; but, in the eyes of the 
Mohammedans, they have forfeited their lives by 
accepting the faith of the Greek or the Roman Catho- 
lic Church, and so often as an excuse is offered it 
becomes a religious duty to exterminate them. Just as 
Saul was bidden to smite the Amalekites, and to slay 
both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and 
sheep, camel and ass, so does the Koran admonish the 



THE LOST PROVINCES 27 

faithful to remove unbelievers from the earth. Hence 
it is absurd for the Powers of Europe to wrangle with 
the Turks concerning the principles of good govern- 
ment or the introduction of reforms. 

Not one of the many stipulations in the Treaty of 
Berlin has ever been faithfully fulfilled; not one of the 
reforms demanded has ever been actually carried out 
by the Turkish authorities. It is true that a Christian 
was appointed governor-general and served in that 
capacity for five years; but he was a cowardly creature 
and permitted himself to be used as a screen to shield 
Mohammedan subordinates who murdered, robbed and 
tortured the members of his own faith. ''The Bul- 
garian atrocities'' perpetrated between 1865 and 1875 
have been repeated in Macedonia, and the population 
of that province has been largely reduced by massacre 
and persecution until several sections are now entirely 
deserted by their former Christian inhabitants. Every 
form of tyranny and brutality has prevailed. One 
record shows 15,000 victims during the last ten years. 
If a faithful Moslem covets the property of his Chris- 
tian neighbor it is only necessary to denounce him for 
"discontent'' before the nearest magistrate, and the 
soldiers will do the rest. 

The inhabitants of Macedonia, as previously stated, 
are of the same stock, profess the same religion, speak 
the same language, and have the same customs as 
the Bulgarians. They are generally intermarried, 
so that the persecutions are a matter of family as 
well as national concern. Ever since the refusal of 
the Berlin Conference to include Eastern Rumelia in 
the Bulgarian Kingdom, the people of both countries 
have been determined to bring about annexation by 
force, and, soon after the recognition of the Bui- 



28 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

garian government, an organization was formed to 
promote that cause. It is known as the Macedonian 
Committee. Its headquarters are at Sofia, Bulgaria, 
occupying the second floor of one of the most con- 
spicuous buildings in the center of the city. No 
secrecy is attempted. The meetings are open to 
the public, their proceedings are published in the 
newspapers, the names of the officers and committees 
appear upon every document issued, and a weekly 
periodical, maintained in the interest of the cause, 
usually contains lists of contributors to its support and 
signed articles by prominent agitators. Branch 
organizations exist in every community. There is not 
a village in Bulgaria without one, and the membership 
includes at least ninety-five per cent of the Bulgarian 
people. The organization is non-partisan, and has the 
tacit support of the government, being composed of 
members of all political parties — both the opponents 
and the supporters of the present administration. 

Until 1901 some of the managers were disreputable 
persons, and were guilty of practices which brought 
the committee and the cause into contempt. The late 
president, Boris Sarafoff, was a notorious gambler and 
dissolute politician. His reputation was such that 
people would no longer contribute money. He squan- 
dered every dollar he could control, and, in order to 
obtain funds for the support of himself and his asso- 
ciates, adopted a bold system of blackmail. He even 
went so far as to threaten a high officer of the govern- 
ment with personal injury if he declined to contribute, 
and gave notice that he would kidnap the child of a 
Sofia banker unless a large sum was paid into the 
Macedonian Committee's treasury. When these prac- 
tices became known in the community there was a 



THE LOST PROVINCES 29 

thorough overhauling of the organization and Stoyan 
Mikhailovsky was elected president. He is a literary 
man of high character, and enjoys universal respect and 
confidence, being the most eminent writer and poet in 
Bulgaria, as well as an orator and scholar. His asso- 
ciates in the management of affairs are men of similar 
ability and reputation, but, upon taking charge, they 
found the treasury empty and the accounts in such 
confusion that they were unable to make a financial 
statement to their supporters. Under the administra- 
tion of Sarafoff, the worst elements in Bulgaria 
obtained control and the local organization at Sama- 
kof, or Samacov, as it appears on some of the maps, 
was undoubtedly responsible for the kidnaping of 
Miss Stone. 

We do not know definitely what is being done in 
Macedonia to prepare for a revolution, but it is no 
secret that the entire province is practically in a state of 
anarchy, and whenever an opportunity is offered it 
will occur. In the spring of 1901 the treasury of the 
Macedonian Committee at Sofia was stripped of every 
dollar by the rascals who had charge of its affairs, and 
the difficulties of raising funds have seriously increased 
since the scandalous disclosures made at that time. 
Nevertheless the committee has renewed its activity 
and is making energetic preparations in anticipation of 
an outbreak. No secrecy is attempted with regard to 
revolutionary operations in Bulgaria. The propa- 
ganda is carried on with the greatest publicity. But 
all movements on the Macedonian side of the moun- 
tains are covered with mystery. Conscious of danger, 
the Turkish authorities in Macedonia are vigilant and 
constantly engaged in efforts to suppress the proposed 
revolt. For several years the Macedonians have been 



30 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

organized and arms and ammunition have been dis- 
tributed among them. They drill in the forests by- 
night and bury their guns and cartridges among the 
roots of the trees. This is an ancient custom, and 
strangers riding through the country often have their 
attention directed to ancient oaks which bear signs to 
mark the spot where arms have been concealed. 

When the struggle does come the Macedonians will 
fight to the finish. After five centuries of Turkish 
bondage they have become convinced that it is better 
to die than to livg under present conditions. Deserted 
farms and heaps of ashes indicate where the Turks 
have been administering discipline. The Turkish 
officials spare neither women nor children, and make 
no distinction between Bulgarians and Greeks. Every 
person who does not profess their faith is an infidel fit 
only to die the death, and must submit to their lust, 
cruelty and extortion. No Christian woman in Mace- 
donia can be protected from the passion of the Turkish 
soldiers and officials, and the thresholds of thousands 
of homes are slippery with the blood of husbands and 
fathers who have died defending the honor of their 
wives and daughters. But the Turks have a way of 
accomplishing their purpose without the apparent use 
of force. 

If a Turk finds a Christian woman who pleases his 
fancy it is only necessary for him to have her sum- 
moned before the nearest magistrate and asked if she 
desires to become his wife. If she consents the mar- 
riage ceremony is performed at once. If she refuses 
persecution begins — not only herself, but her father, 
mother, brothers and sisters are arrested for fictitious 
offenses and thrown into prison. They may be accused 
of treason and shot; they maybe fined the entire value 



THE LOST PROVINCES 31 

of their property, and made to suffer other penalties 
which the Turks show great ingenuity in devising. 
Some women yield to save their families, and are self- 
condemned to spend their lives in the perpetual slavery 
of the harem, but usually the entire family abandons 
everything, and flees across the boundary into Bulgaria 
with only such property as can be carried in their 
hands, to begin life over again under the protection of 
the Bulgarian authorities and among sympathetic sur- 
roundings. The Turkish officials invariably confiscate 
any property that may be left. Southern Bulgaria is 
full of such refugees. A friend told me that more than 
a dozen families within his own personal acquaintance 
had been compelled to abandon their homes in Mace- 
donia for this reason alone, and within the limits of 
Bulgaria are several thousand similar cases. Young 
women actually disfigure themselves that their attrac- 
tions may not excite the admiration of the Turk. 

A gentleman who recently passed through Mace- 
donia told me of a spectacle he saw with his own eyes 
and an experience which can never be forgotten. He 
says that, stopping for a drink of water at a roadside 
cabin, he saw evidences of a recent disturbance, and, 
as no one responded to his knock at the door, he 
entered. Seated upon a rude bench was a wild-eyed 
woman holding to her breast the body of a young 
babe, whose head had been crushed by a cruel blow, 
and whose face was stained with fresh blood. Upon 
the floor in the corner of the room was the mutilated 
body of a young peasant, the face hacked by scimiters 
until it was beyond recognition, while the abdomen 
had been ripped up until the bowels protruded. The 
woman was evidently insane from fear and grief, and 
the fact that she was unharmed was construed by the 



32 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

guide to mean that she was absent when a troop of 
Turkish soldiers, passing by, had stopped at her home 
long enough to murder her husband and child. The 
cause could only be inferred. The man was said to be 
an industrious, honest, well-to-do peasant, who had 
married the comely daughter of a prosperous neighbor 
about three years before. The neighbors dared not 
discuss the occurrence, but from the little information 
he could obtain it was not unusual. The people are 
accustomed to such tragedies. The man was a mem- 
ber of the Greek Church, and the Turkish soldiers 
killed him and his child because he either refused to 
renounce his faith or because they supposed he had 
hidden his handsome wife at their approach. 

Much of the trouble is due to the desire of Turkish 
officials and soldiers to secure the daughters of Chris- 
tian families for their harems. Is it any wonder, then, 
that the women of Bulgaria and Macedonia have taken 
the sword in their own hands and defended their homes 
and their persons with the courage and the strength of 
men? We read of a band of Bulgarian Amazons who 
performed such prodigies of valor in one of the revolu- 
tions years ago that, when they were finally overcome, 
the Turks impaled them alive before the gates of the 
governor's palace and placed their heads upon the 
town walls. 

The rebellious provinces have a population of about 
4,000,000, three-fourths of whom are Christians and 
one-fourth Turks. Almost two-thirds are of Bulgarian 
ancestry, and, naturally, the people of Bulgaria have a 
deeper sympathy for them than have those of other 
nations. A portion of Macedonia formerly belonged 
to Servia and the remainder to Bulgaria. If it were 
understood that, in the event of emancipation from 



THE LOST PROVINCES 33 

Turkish rule, the province would be divided upon 
ancient lines, the Serbs would doubtless lend their 
assistance and reenforce the Bulgarians; but unless 
some such understanding can be reached in advance 
the Serbs might resist Bulgaria, because of neighborly- 
jealousy, and aid Turkey to suppress the revolt by- 
making war upon Bulgaria. The present committee 
advocates Macedonian independence on the same basis 
as that of Servia, Bulgaria and Roumania, and its 
local newspaper organ asserts that it would be the 
crime of crimes to involve these three nations in a war. 

Entirely disinterested judgment would suggest that 
the province of Rumelia should be placed under the 
protection of Austria, Germany or England; or,, if that 
could not be permitted, that it should be governed by 
the Swiss, the Danes or the Dutch, who have no 
political interests at stake. The people are not fit 
for self-government, while the old policy of trying to 
reform the Turkish administration is criminal folly. 
Improvement will appear, however, the moment the 
curse of centuries is withdrawn, and the ground left 
free for wise, honest and just administration. Peace- 
ful Moslems should, of course, be permitted to pursue 
their vocations and practice their religious rites, as in 
Bosnia. Religous freedom should be the fundamental 
condition, but the Turkish pashas and bashi-bazouks, 
and every official of Islam faith should be compelled to 
disappear, never to return. 

If Russia could be induced to extend her influence in 
Armenia, which no other power can approach without 
crossing foreign territory, and permit Austria to con- 
trol the Balkan Peninsula, there might be peace; but 
Russia is indifferent to the Armenians, because they 
do not belong to her race, nor profess her religion, 



34 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

while the populations of the Balkan States are almost 
exclusively Slavs and members of the orthodox Greek 
Church. Whatever may be said of the political 
aggressiveness of the Russians, it cannot be denied 
that the rulers, statesmen and people of that empire 
have always shown active sympathy for oppressed 
Christians, and there is not the slightest doubt that 
Alexander II. entered upon the war with Turkey in 
1877 as if it were a holy crusade. The religious rela- 
tion gives Russia an advantage over Austria, because 
the latter is a Roman Catholic country, and very few 
members of that faith are found in Bulgaria or the 
Turkish provinces. Neither Russia nor Austria would 
consent to British domination in the Balkans, but 
they might yield their own claims in favor of a protec- 
torate by one of the smaller nations, such as Switzer- 
land, Denmark or the Netherlands. 



11 



THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT 

The Sultan of Turkey is a good deal like President 
Cleveland, in that he tries to look after the details of 
his government himself. President Cleveland used to 
sit up all night sometimes examining the recommen- 
dations of postoffice candidates because he felt a per- 
sonal responsibility in the selection of good men, 
which he could not delegate to the officials of the 
postoffice department. He used to read all the evi- 
dence and other documents connected with pardon 
cases, because he could not trust the judgment of the 
attorney-general and the officials in the department of 
justice. He frequently sent for the papers relating to 
Indian contracts, public lands and other matters of 
business which no President before him ever investi- 
gated personally, but he knew more about what was 
going on, and "had more influence with his own admin- 
istration," as President Lincoln used to say, than any 
other man. The Sultan of Turkey has a similar dis- 
position, but a different motive. He trusts nobody, 
although everybody succeeds finally in deceiving 
him. He endeavors to do everything himself and to 
attend to all the details, but never goes anywhere and 
is compelled to depend upon his ministers and other 
subordinates to see that his orders are carried out. 
Therefore most of his labor is wasted and the people 
suffer the consequences. 

For example, recently a bridge over a river in Asia 
Minor was carried away by a flood and the people 

35 



36 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

came down to Constantinople with a petition for a 
new one, because all such things are within the Sul- 
tan's personal jurisdiction and can only be done by his 
orders. He read the petition and heard the commit- 
tee, and, casting his eyes over the map they had sub- 
mitted, suggested that the new bridge be built at 
another place. It was somewhat distant from the old 
one and in a situation more liable to danger from 
floods. At the same time it was very inconvenient 
for the public; but nobody dare tell the Sultan so, or 
even question the accuracy of his judgment. So a 
new bridge was erected at the new location and a few 
weeks later it was carried away like the first. The 
people came back to the Sultan. He refused to 
receive them and sent word that he had given them a 
new bridge and that they ought to be thankful and 
ask no more of him. Since then the population of 
that district has been compelled to cross the river in 
small boats because the government will not build 
another bridge for them and will not allow them to 
build one for themselves. That is about the way the 
government of Turkey is managed; a fair sample of 
maladministration that applies to every department. 

Up the Golden Horn is a navy yard, with a fine 
marble building for the headquarters of the admiralty, 
a school for the education of officers, barracks for the 
accommodation of sailors, a hospital for the sick, and 
a long line of sheds and shops for the construction and 
repair of ships, and an enormous amount of money is 
expended annually for the maintenance of ships which 
are supposed to be in commission, but cannot be used 
because their engines, boilers and other machinery are 
useless. Some of them have no smoke-stacks. They 
lie at anchor where the Sultan can see them through a 



THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT ^yl 

glass from a certain point in the park that surrounds 
his palace, and he supposes them to be in full com- 
mission and ready for active service. He gives the 
minister of marine every year money to pay for coal 
that is never bought, for provisions and other supplies 
for crews that do not exist, and for repairs that are 
never made. The shops are idle and empty, although 
he believes them to be filled with busy workmen. 
According to the official register, the Turkish navy 
consists of eighteen cruisers .of from 2,000 to 8,000 
tons, twelve coast-defense ships, six gunboats and 
twenty-six torpedo boats, but every one of them is 
useless except a few small gunboats stationed at 
different ports along the coast. The annual allotment 
of money for the supplies of the navy is about ^3,200,- 
000, but, according to the popular impression, a very 
small part of it is ever applied to the purpose for 
which it is intended. The navy yard on the Golden 
Horn is the most extraordinary marine morgue in 
existence. Long rows of vessels of the most anti- 
quated pattern lie side by side, stripped of their 
machinery and equipments and fit only to be knocked 
to pieces for junk. Students of marine architecture 
will find there types of vessels that have not been 
used for a century, and the Sultan still appropriates 
money to maintain them. But even the most modern 
vessels, built during the late war with Greece, have 
been stripped of everything portable by officers and 
sailors whose wages have not been paid. The Sultan 
does not know anything about it. He depends upon 
his minister of marine, who gives him such informa- 
tion as he thinks advisable, and is supposed to rob him 
right and left. 

Hassan Pasha has the reputation of being the richest 



38 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

and the most corrupt official In the Turkish govern- 
ment. He is supposed to be worth $40,000,000 or 
$50,000,000, all of which he has acquired while in the 
service of the government He has great influence 
with the Sultan. The latter considers him one of his 
most loyal and efficient officers and trusts him implic- 
itly. It is said that Hassan would like to resign and 
enjoy his money in London or Paris, but dare not do 
so. The moment he suggested any such idea the 
Sultan's suspicions would be excited, and it would be 
dangerous for Hassan to retire, because his successor 
would discover what has been going on in the navy 
department, and Hassan's head and his money would 
both be in danger. Many other pashas are very rich, 
but they send their money out of the country as a pre- 
caution, for they never know when they may forfeit 
their sovereign's favor, and that usually means the 
confiscation of their estates and perhaps decapitation 
or imprisonment for life. When a prominent man dis- 
appears in Turkey no questions are asked. It is 
impolitic to be' inquisitive. 

Said Pasha, the great vizier, is believed to be an 
honest man. He is one of the few prominent officials 
of the government who has not amassed a fortune while 
in office. For his honesty and other reasons he has 
many bitter and revengeful enemies. Six years ago, 
when he was grand vizier, he endeavored to punish 
certain influential pashas for robbing the government. 
They engaged in a conspiracy against him and got the 
ear of the Sultan, who believed their statements, and 
sent the Kapu-aghasi, chief of the white eunuchs and 
first officer of the imperial bedchamber — the Sultan's 
most confidential man — to summon Said Pasha to his 
presence. The Kapu-aghasi is always an unwelcome 



THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT 39 

messenger, because the Sultan trusts him when he will 
trust nobody else. When he carries a message it has 
unusual significance. 

Said Pasha understood the situation, and, instead of 
going to the palace, sought an asylum at the British 
embassy, where Lord Dufferin, then ambassador, 
gave him protection. Nobody knew what had become 
of the grand vizier until after seven days, when he sent 
a carefully prepared report of his proceedings and the 
motives for the conspiracy against him to the Sultan 
by the hand of the British ambassador. The latter 
explained to the Sultan his opinion of the case, and 
vouched for Said Pasha as an honest, truthful and 
loyal man. The Sultan was not convinced, but agreed 
to accept Said Pasha's resignation without further pro- 
ceedings, and gave a formal assurance that if his 
former prime minister left the embassy and returned 
to his own home he would not be injured. Lord 
Dufferin notified the Sultan that the British govern- 
ment would hold him responsible for any injury that 
Said Pasha might suffer, and that in case of his death 
not even a plea of sickness would be accepted. From 
that hour Said Pasha was the safest man in Turkey. 
The Sultan sent his own physician and two of his most 
trusted aides-de-camp to live in his house to protect 
him, and, adopting Lord Dufferin's suggestion, made 
an investigation of the charges against him. Nobody 
knows how he got at the facts, but he executed some 
of his new favorites, sent others into exile and finally 
restored Said Pasha to power. He is still prime min- 
ister. 

It is said that Shanghai, China, is the dirtiest city 
in the world, that Peking is ten times as dirty as 
Shanghai, and that Canton is ten times as dirty as 



40 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

Peking: but Constantinople is as dirty as all the rest 
of them put together, and the pavements are simply- 
horrible. Yet the Sultan, who has never ridden about 
his capital, is laboring under the delusion that it is 
well paved and sweet and clean. Several years ago he 
took a notion to go by carriage instead of by boat to 
Seraglio Point upon his annual pilgrimage to worship 
before the holy mantle of the Prophet Mohammed, 
and the officers of the municipal government covered 
the pavement of the streets through which he was to 
pass with fine sand two or three inches deep. This 
not only concealed the filth, but made a smooth and 
comfortable track for his carriage. The Sultan was 
delighted, and gave instructions to fix all the streets in 
Constantinople in the same manner, allotting a large 
sum of money to pay the expenses. The officials took 
the money and put it in their pockets, and nothing 
was done to the streets. The Sultan honestly believes 
that Constantinople is one of the best-kept cities in 
Europe, and often boasts of that fact to foreign 
visitors. As he dare not go through the streets to see 
for himself, and is surrounded by men whose interests 
and safety require them to maintain the deception, he 
will probably never discover how he has been deceived. 
The two great bridges across the Golden Horn, which 
connect Stamboul, the Turkish town, with Galata, the 
foreign settlement, produce not less than $2,000 a day 
in tolls. Every foot passenger is charged a penny, 
about the same fee as that collected by the ferry com- 
panies of New York, and carriages pay ten cents. But 
of the receipts not more than Sioo a day goes into the 
public treasury. The rest is stolen by people who 
have charge of the collections. Everybody gets his 
"squeeze," from the general manager down to the 



THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT 41 

Turks with white aprons who stand at the entrances 
and take the money. Curious people have taken the 
trouble to stand at the approaches to the bridge and 
count the number of passengers within a certain time 
as a basis for an estimate of the revenues, and assert 
that ;^2,ooo a day is a low calculation. It is also 
asserted that not more than ten per cent of the cus- 
toms collections goes into the treasury. The balance is 
stolen by the officials, who receive no salaries and are 
expected to take care of themselves. Sometimes they 
get their money out of the importers and exporters 
by blackmail, because each collector of customs is 
required to turn a certain amount into the treasury 
every month, but some of them simply take a propor- 
tion of the ordinary receipts and are satisfied with 
that. 

Several propositions have been made to the Sultan 
to farm out the collection of duties to a bank, which is 
willing to guarantee him a stated sum in cash annually 
and take its chances of collecting an equal amount or 
a good deal more upon the present tariff rates, but 
the Sultan dare not make such an arrangement 
because the customs service takes care of so many 
poor relations and hangers on of his favorites. If he 
should put this patronage out of his hands they would 
have to be supported in some other manner. There- 
fore he declines to have his revenues honestly col- 
lected. 

Some people think that the Sultan was not respon- 
sible for the Armenian massacre in 1896. Others are 
confident that he ordered it, just as Charles of France 
ordered the massacre of St. Bartholomew. They 
believe that he was induced to do so by the representa- 
tions of the Sheik-ul-Islam and his ministers that the 



42 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

Armenians were on the point of revolution, and there 
was circumstantial evidence to sustain their claims. 
There had been repeated massacres by the Kurds and 
other Turkish barbarians in Armenia, and thousands of 
Christians there lost their lives and property. When 
a committee of Armenian citizens went to the Sublime 
Porte to present a petition demanding the protection 
guaranteed their countrymen by the Treaty of Berlin 
in 1878, they were prevented from entering, and 
attempted to fight their way in, which caused a riot 
and gave their enemies an argument to secure official 
sanction for their persecution. But what is known as 
the "Ottoman Bank Affair" was really the immediate 
cause of the massacre. It is practically the only bank 
in Constantinople, and is managed by an Englishman. 
One morning in 1896, while business was going on as 
usual, a party of forty or fifty armed men entered the 
building and closed the doors. The manager, Mr. 
Vincent, succeeded in escaping. The bank was 
promptly surrounded by troops, which made it impos- 
sible for the bandits to get away with any booty or 
with their lives, but they threatened to blow up the 
vaults and to set fire to the building unless they were 
granted immunity. Mr. Vincent had sufficient influ- 
ence with the authorities to secure such terms, and 
during the night after the raid the bandits were taken 
from the bank to the nearest dock, placed on board 
Mr. Vincent's private yacht and carried to Marseilles, 
where they were put ashore and disappeared. They 
claimed to be Armenians, but were all strangers. 
Some people think it was a "fake" raid arranged by 
the Turkish police to arouse public prejudice against 
the Armenians. Others think that a foolhardy group 
of Armenian revolutionists attempted to secure funds 



THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT 43 

to carry on a revolution. But whatever the intent or 
expectation, on the follov/ing day the Sultan was 
persuaded that unless the Armenian community was 
effectually terrorized it would overthrow his govern- 
ment. He gave the word, the Mohammedan priests 
and softas (theological students) led the mobs, and 
the Turkish fanatics continued to kill Christians until 
they were exhausted. 

There is a multitude of priests, divided into classes 
and ranks. The lowest is the muezzin, who is a sort of 
sacristan or sexton at the mosque. He calls the faith- 
ful to prayer, but takes no part in the devotional exer- 
cises. Softas are theological students — young preachers 
who make up a fanatical and turbulent class and are 
the cause of most of the disturbances in Constanti- 
nople, as the students of universities often are in other 
European countries. Next to them in rank are the 
cadis^ who exercise a temporal as well as spiritual 
jurisdiction, acting as notaries, justices of the peace, 
judges of the courts and look after the financial affairs 
of the different parishes and religious orders. There 
are several religious brotherhoods and orders like the 
dervishes. The moulahs or regular priests, who con- 
duct the services at the mosques, may be compared 
with the ordinary clergy in our country. One grade 
above the moulah is the khodja, or professor of theology, 
who is found daily at the mosques with a copy of the 
Koran and other orthodox authorities before him, 
expounding the faith of the Mohammedans to groups 
of students and others who gather around him, sitting 
cross-legged upon the floor. 

You can find these groups in every mosque at all 
hours of the day, and they remind you of the story of 
Jesus teaching in the temple. The theologians receive 



44 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

fees from their pupils. Another class of khodja 
expound the Koran to ordinary people very much in 
the manner of our Sunday-school classes. After the 
regular prayers are over in the mosques they take con- 
venient places, and those who desire to learn from 
them squat around in semicircles within the sound of 
their voices. The lesson or lecture lasts about half an 
hour. Many of the pupils are business men who are 
interested to hear and know. Others are poor 
devotees who scarcely understand the language of the 
teacher, but listen attentively to everything he says. 
There is no regularity about the lectures and no stated 
fees are charged. Those who attend can pay whatever 
they like. Some, of the ablest theologians attract 
large classes and make a good living. Their incomes 
are much better than the salaries paid to the ordinary 
moulahsy or parish priests. Superior to them are the 
mufti, or bishops, and the Sheik-ul-Islam, or patriarch, 
the spiritual head of the Mohammedan Church, who 
often is known as the Great Mufti. 

Nearly all of the Moslems in Constantinople are 
employed either by the church or the state, or are 
ordinary common working men. They are ignorant 
and fanatical, dangerous when excited by the priests 
or the softas, who make the mischief, and are as 
devout as any people in the world. It is the universal 
testimony that Mussulmans are more loyal to their 
religion and more faithful to its teachings than the 
members of any other church. The pashas and the 
higher officials of the government wear the European 
dress with the red fez. The poorer Turks retain the 
native dress. 

While there are doubtless many good traits about 
the Mohammedans, and, as an old lady said about 



THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT 45 

Christianity, their religion would be a good thing if it 
were lived up to, it is difficult to reconcile the facts. 
For example, the Koran and the teachings of the 
prophet enjoin personal cleanliness as necessary to 
salvation. The Moslems always bathe before they 
pray. They would not dare enter the house of prayer 
with unclean hands or feet or faces. Hence when the 
muezzin's call is heard from a minaret five times a 
day, faithful Moslems go first to the fountains that are 
found outside of every mosque and bathe themselves. 
There are innumerable bath-houses also in which genu- 
ine Turkish baths and massage are given. At the 
same time their houses are positively filthy; too filthy, 
as a rule, for human beings to occupy; and the streets of 
Constantinople and every other Turkish town are inde- 
scribable in their nastiness. The clothing they wear 
is as dirty as their bodies are clean, and their food is 
often unfit for sanitary reasons. A true believer will 
not cut down a tree without planting another in its 
place. Hence the Turkish forests are in splendid 
condition. The kindness of the Mohammedan to ani- 
mals is proverbial. He will not kill a rat and will 
share his crust with a dog; he will not beat a horse, 
and, as you have often read, among the Bedouins 
man and horse always share the same tent. But it is 
no offense to kill a Christian. Human life is nowhere 
else held at so low a value. 

The Koran forbids the followers of the prophet to 
charge interest upon loans of money, hence Moham- 
medans cannot engage in the banking business, and 
you often hear that true believers never swindle each 
other; that no Mohammedan ever lies, except where 
the interests of Christians are involved; that he will 
tell the truth to his own people. 



46 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

It is evident that the Turks consider it no crime to 
cheat a Christian or to tell him a falsehood, but it is a 
beautiful delusion that Mohammedans never deceive 
or swindle one another.. I have tried to reconcile this 
generally accepted fable with the notorious robbery of 
the government. Almost every ofificial of the Otto- 
man Empire is a Mohammedan. Very few Christians 
are employed in any capacity, and in no other land on 
earth is ofificial corruption, bribery and embezzlement 
so general and common. It is not only known, but 
tolerated. Few officials receive salaries, and they are 
expected to make a living by robbing their govern- 
ment and by blackmailing people who have business 
with it. While there is nothing in precise terms in 
the Koran to prohibit malfeasance in office, one would 
suppose that the general laws of morality and honesty, 
if not patriotism, would be recognized and applied. 
When I asked an intelligent and liberal Mohammedan 
to explain this phenomenon he did so without the 
slightest hesitation. He declared in the first place 
that the government knew that its officials were rob- 
bing the revenues and expected them to do so. 
Therefore, it was no crime against the laws and no 
violation of the teachings of the prophet. In the 
second place, he said, there were bad men among the 
followers of the prophet as well &s among the follow- 
ers of Christ, and that, "while ncyman who obeyed the 
teachings of the Koran and the injunctions of Moham- 
med would cheat or steal, many sometimes did so 
under great temptation." 

We are also told that Mohammedans are strict pro- 
hibitionists; that they drink no wine or liquor of any 
kind, and this is more generally true than any of the 
other statements to which I have referred. 



THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT 47 

There are plenty of saloons in Constantinople, but 
they are all found in the foreign quarter. In Stam- 
boul, which is almost exclusively Mohammedan, there 
are none, and the natives dissipate at coffee-houses, 
which are as numerous in the Mohammedan districts 
as saloons in Chicago. The highest joy that a Turk 
can realize is to sit outside a cafe, sip a cup of coffee, 
smoke a nargileh — one of those long-stemmed water 
pipes — and contemplate the infinite. At least, I sup- 
pose that is what the solemn-looking old chaps who sit 
around on the sidewalk are contemplating. Their 
faces wear an expression of unutterable wisdom, 
solemnity and benevolence that cannot be surpassed, 
and their composure is perfect. A Turk is always com- 
posed at a coffee-house, and you would think that his 
soul was submerged in benevolence. But when he comes 
to action he is an entirely different sort of a person. 

As a rule Turks of the upper classes are very 
good-looking. Their features are fine, their heads are 
intellectual and their expressions are amiable. In 
addition to the coffee-houses water fountains for the 
benefit of the poor are found on almost every block. 
When a rich man wants to erect a monument by which 
he may be remembered, he builds a fountain in a pub- 
lic place an leaves money for its maintenance. When 
Kaiser William of Germany was in Constantinople a 
few years ago he ordered the erection of a fountain, 
which is beautiful in design and of expensive con- 
struction. It must have cost him a very large sum of 
money, and was an appropriate, useful and noble gift. 
Thousands of men make a business of peddling water, 
lemonade and sherbet through the streets of the 
Turkish part of the city, and another praiseworthy cus- 
tom among benevolent men is to leave legacies to pay 



48 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

for the free distribution of drinking water among the 
working people. You see many such peddlers on the 
docks, in the factories and at other places were labor- 
ers are employed. They go about with pigskins full 
of fresh water upon their backs and a dozen cups 
hanging from hooks in their belts. Anybody can stop 
them on the street and ask for a drink, which they 
always furnish with great courtesy, as they are required 
to do by their employers. If you give them a tip they 
will accept it, but it is not necessary and it is not 
expected. The Turks are a very temperate people. 

A Turkish gentleman declared that the young men 
of Constantinople were being led into dissipation 
because they thought it was "progress"; that fast 
foreigners had introduced bad habits into the country, 
including whisky and brandy drinking, and many 
young Turks had followed their example. The 
saloons and beer gardens, he said, were intended for, 
and were generally patronized by, the foreign popula- 
tion — the French, Germans, Italians, Austrians, Hun- 
garians and others — and several liquor stores had been 
established to supply them. 

"Many young Moslems have become intemperate," 
he exclaimed, "and it can only be attributed to the 
bad example of Christians." The pashas and other 
public men think it is necessary to serve wine at their 
houses because it is served to them when they visit 
the homes of foreigners, and thus the habit is being 
introduced. The Sultan drinks nothing but water and 
coffee, although at formal dinners he offers wine to 
his guests. 

"I met a friend the other day," continued my inform- 
ant, "who offered me a glass of wine. I declined, 
saying that my religion forbade the use of wine. 'So 




A SHAZI— A MOHAMMEDAN FANATIC 



THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT 49 

does mine,' replied the pasha, 'but God is merciful and 
I shall be forgiven.' " 

One great trouble in Turkey is the disloyalty of the 
upper classes. The lower classes are fanatical in their 
devotion to the Sultan and the Mohammedan Church. 
But it is the office and not the man they adore. They 
care very little who occupies the throne and will give 
their lives cheerfully to support and defend him. The 
Turkish soldiers are great fighters, if well led, and are 
absolutely destitute of fear because they are taught 
from infancy that he who dies in defense of the church 
or the Sultan goes straight- to paradise, which is 
sufficient incentive for them. At the same time the 
words "loyalty" and "patriotism" do not appear in 
the Turkish language, and those emotions are almost 
entirely unknown to the pashas and other persons of 
high rank who are always striving to excel each other 
and secure the favor of the sovereign, and the power, 
influence and wealth that attend it. The foundation 
of all the trouble is the absolute authority intrusted to 
the Sultan, who is able to appoint to the highest offices 
and elevate to the highest rank the most unworthy and 
incompetent favorite at his court. The Sultan can 
make and unmake pashas at pleasure, and this pre- 
carious tenure of rank and dignity induces them to be 
so corrupt, so treacherous and envious. Another great 
source of weakness is the entire absence of anything 
like justice. If a man is accused before the Sultan by 
one of his spies or by any informer, high or low, he 
has no trial and often there is no investigation. In 
very rare cases the accused has an opportunity to make 
a personal defense; but in the Sultan's eyes every man 
is guilty until he is proved innocent, and the oppor- 
tunity to submit the proof seldom comes. 



50 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

A Constantinople photographer to whom I applied 
for portraits of the Sultan and other public men 
explained that he was not able to furnish them because 
the Moslem religion forbade its adherents to make the 
likeness of anything in the heaven above or in the 
earth beneath, and that the injunction was strictly- 
observed by old-fashioned and conservative Moham- 
medans. Being the head of the church, the Sultan 
thinks he ought to observe it as an example to others. 
Nevertheless the portraits of his sons have been 
painted, and you can buy their photographs wherever 
such things are sold about town. And there are oil 
portraits of previous Sultans in all the public build- 
ings. On the table in the audience chamber at the 
Seraglio, is a large quarto volume containing a collec- 
tion of the portraits of thirty-seven Sultans of the 
Osman dynasty. In the treasury are a lot of miniatures 
and several busts in bronze and marble. Statues, of 
several Turkish heroes, including Sultans, have been 
erected, and hence we must find some other reason why 
Abdul Hamid will not be photographed. Perhaps it 
is merely an idiosyncrasy, for he has many. 

At the same time public men in Turkey do not have 
their portraits painted, nor do they have their photo- 
graphs taken as frequently as those of Christian coun- 
tries, and it is difficult to buy their pictures. Certain 
photographs of public buildings, the interiors of 
mosques, and women in the Turkish costume, are sold 
only to foreigners. No^ photographer would dare sell 
the picture of a woman to a Moslem, because her hus- 
band or father would take it as a mortal insult, although 
he would have no objection to its sale to foreigners, 
particularly those who take it out of the country. He 
would consider that a compliment. These notions are 



THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT 



51 



relaxing generally throughout the country, like many 
other of the Moslem habits and customs. 

When I was at Constantinople the city was filled 
with pilgrims on their way to Mecca. They came from 
all parts of the Ottoman Empire and from the Moham- 
medan settlements in Russia. One party of 4,000 
arrived from Central Asia via Odessa upon special 
steamers, which carried them to Jedda on the Red Sea, 
the nearest port to Mecca. Hundreds of Persians, 
Kurds, Mongols, men from Turkestan, Afghanistan, 
Bokhara, Cashmere and other far-off countries had rid- 
den thousands of miles over the desert on this religious 
mission, and had come to Constantinople for the pur- 
pose of paying homage to the Sultan, who is the head 
of their church. The bazaars and mosques and the 
streets and public places were crowded with them. 

Very few were able to see the Sultan. Their only 
opportunity was on Friday, when he rides through his 
park from the palace to the mosque to say his prayers. 
They knelt when he passed, and afterward kissed the 
ground over which his carriage had driven. Many of 
them were men of wealth and property, but did not 
look it. They were dressed in the fantastic costumes 
of their races and added to the variety of apparel for 
which Constantinople is noted. 

Every Moslem who can afford to do so makes a pil- 
grimage to Mecca at least once in his life, for that not 
only insures the salvation of his soul but advances 
him in social and religious rank also, and he then 
becomes a Hadji^ a title for which we have no equiv- 
alent. It gives him a higher place in the mosque and 
secures for him certain privileges and advantages 
which people who have not been to Mecca do not 
enjoy. Hence it is the ambition of every Mussulman 



52 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

to make the pilgrimage, and millions go every year. 
The pilgrimages are regulated much better now than 
formerly. Sanitary rules are enforced, which tend to 
prevent the plagues that have invariably followed the 
annual hegira. Formerly thousands upon thousands 
died from fatigue, starvation and disease, and con- 
tagion was carried to different parts of the world by 
returning caravans. But this no longer occurs. The 
pilgrimages are so regulated that nowadays they can 
be accomplished without much danger or fatigue and 
at comparatively small expense. 

The most conspicuous man among the pilgrims was 
Hadji Sheik Islam, the head of the church in Persia, 
who was accompanied by his son and three other prom- 
inent Persian ecclesiastics. Upon their arrival they 
were met with great ceremony by the Persian ambas- 
sador and the Sheik-ul-Islam of Constantinople. They 
were guests at the Persian embassy, and enjoyed the 
hospitality of the Sultan, who decorated them with 
badges and other honors and conferred upon them his 
blessing as the head of the church. Their dress is 
quite picturesque. They wear long tunics, or gowns, 
of white silk with plaited bosoms and flowing sleeves, 
and the finest of cashmere shawls as sashes around 
their waists. Over their gowns were large brown 
camel' s-hair robes and upon their heads enormous 
white turbans. The Sheik's party were men of noble 
appearance and dignified demeanor and received the 
homage of the people as if they were accustomed to it. 

When a Turkish steamer, carrying 1,400 pilgrims, 
was about to start for Mecca the Sultan sent orders 
that no passenger should be charged more than $8 
fare, and that those who could not afford to pay should 
be carried free. When the officers of the steamship 



THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT 



53 



company remonstrated he blandly told them to send 
the bill for the difference to him — an act of generosity 
which amused everybody who has a sense of humor, 
for the Sultan of Turkey was never known to pay for 
anything. The steamship company dared not defy his 
orders, but after reflection was ingenious enough to 
partially recoup itself. When the steamer got as far 
as Beirut, it dropped anchor, and the officers informed 
the managers of the pilgrimage that they could not go 
any farther because they had run out of coal, and they 
could not buy coal because they had no money, the 
small amount paid by the pilgrims for fare having 
already been exhausted. The pilgrims appealed by 
telegraph to the Sultan, who ordered the governor of 
Beirut to furnish them coal, and he will have to con- 
trive some method of getting even. 

The Moslem day is reckoned from sunset to sunset, 
and is divided into two divisions of twelve hours each. 
Sunset is always twelve o'clock, and as the length of 
the day varies throughout the year, Turkish watches 
have to be altered at least every five days by the official 
clock, which is set in the tower of a mosque in Stamboul. 

The crescent, which is the symbol of the Turkish 
Empire, was adopted by the Sultan Osman, the founder 
of the present Ottoman Empire, in 1299. It is said 
that in the year 340 B.C., when Constantinople was 
besieged by Philip of Macedon, and was only saved by 
the timely arrival of reenforcements which Demos- 
thenes sent to its assistance, a bright light in the form 
of a crescent was seen in the sky and was regarded by 
the inhabitants as a sign that rescue was approaching. 
Hence, like the star in the east that was seen by the wise 
men, it was accepted as a divine revelation, and since 
then the crescent has been a sacred emblem to the Turks. 



Ill 

THE SULTAN AND HIS FAMILY 

The present Sultan of Turkey is the most interesting 
personality among the sovereigns of the world, both 
for what he is and for what he represents, exercising 
as he does the functions of an emperor over a semi- 
barbarous and turbulent people, and spiritual juris- 
diction over the most fanatical and numerous of 
religious sects. He is the ecclesiastical successor of 
Mohammed, head of the Moslem Church with 200,- 
000,000 believers, and of the house of Ishmael, the son 
of Abraham, and in his person is supposed to receive 
and enjoy the blessings which God promised to 
Hagar. That is one of the most dramatic incidents 
in Biblical history when, in obedience to the jealousy 
of Sarah, his wife, "Abraham rose up early in the 
morning and took bread and a bottle of water and gave 
it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulders, and the child, 
and sent her away, and she departed and wandered in 
the wilderness of Beersheba." And after the water 
was spent in the bottle and she had cast the child 
under one of the shrubs, and lifted up her voice and 
wept, "The angel of God called to Hagar out of 
heaven, and said unto her: 'Arise, lift up the lad and 
hold him in thine hands, for I will make him a great 
nation.' " 

The Moslem world believes that Abraham was the 
founder of Mecca; that Ishmael was their ancestor and 
that they have inherited the religion of Abraham with 
its promises and blessings, and the characteristic traits 

54 



THE SULTAN AND HIS FAMILY 55 

ascribed to Ishmael. Their hand has been against 
every man, and every man's hand has been against 
them, and still they defy all other nations, whether 
pagan or Christian. Padishah (father of all the sover- 
eigns of the earth) is the official title of the Sultan, 
and is used exclusively by the Turks in official com- 
munications. He is also styled Imam-ul-Muselmin 
(pontiff of Mussulmans), Alem Penah (refuge of the 
world), Zil-ullah (shadow of God), Hunkiar (the 
slayer of infidels), and has several other honorary 
titles. He controls the Mohammedan subjects of all 
nations, and if he should go to a little mosque at the 
Seraglio, unfurl the green banner which was car- 
ried by Mohammed, and declare a holy war, the sons 
of Ishmael in every part of the earth — in India, Africa, 
China, the East Indies, and the islands of the sea — 
would be required by their religion to sustain him and 
obey his orders, regardless of their allegiance to their 
own civil authorities. 

Abdul Hamid 11. , the present Sultan, who was sixty 
years old in September, 1902, is said to be a great 
coward who dare not leave his country palace or 
show himself in his own capital. It is true that the 
most extraordinary precautions are taken for his pro- 
tection. He dare not leave the safe solitude of Yildiz 
Park, which is situated about two miles outside the 
gates of Constantinople and surrounded by a double 
wall. The road from the palace to the Bosphorus 
passes between those walls and is protected every inch 
of the way from the gates of the park to the wharf on 
the Bosphorus, where, once a year only, he takes a 
state barge and is rowed over to the Seraglio to per- 
form the obligation imposed upon him by his religion: 
viz., to worship the holy mantle of the prophet on the 



56 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

anniversary of the death of Mohammed. That act is 
required of him. If he did not perform it the whole 
church would rise against him. Therefore, for that day, 
he is compelled to suppress his fears and appear before 
the public; but it would be impossible for an outsider 
to get anywhere near him unless he were highly recom- 
mended and identified. Some people say that his 
cowardice is cultivated by his ministers and other men 
who surround him, because they find it to their personal 
advantage to prevent him from going abroad. So 
they keep him locked in the Yildiz Kiosk, where they 
can control his surroundings and prevent him from 
receiving any information that will be to their dis- 
credit. At the same time there is no doubt that the 
Sultan keeps constantly in mind the fact that many of 
the twenty-seven Padishahs who have reigned at Con- 
stantinople are believed to have died by violence. 
Several endeavored to save their lives by abdication, 
but the public never saw them again. 

The conspiracies are all among his own people and 
his immediate attendants — the "outs" are always 
scheming to get in and the "ins" are always conspir- 
ing to maintain their position. There are no political 
parties in Turkey; there are no political issues. It is 
all a question of obtaining the Sultan's favor, and the 
entire Mohammedan population is divided into two 
classes, — the ruling favorites and those who have been 
discarded. The officials and army officers who have 
been disgraced and removed from their positions 
naturally desire to recover them, and hate the Sultan 
because he likes other people better than themselves. 
The same jealousies prevail among the men of the 
court as among the women of the harem. The outside 
population take no interest. They are glad to be let 



THE SULTAN AND HIS FAMILY 57 

alone. The business community consists of Arme- 
nians, Greeks and Jews, with a few Turks. It would 
not be accurate to say that all Turks are in office, but it 
is actually true that all the offices are filled by 
Turks, and as there are not enough offices to go round, 
those who are left out and compelled to get their living 
without the aid of the government, are forever con- 
spiring against the Sultan or the grand vizier. 

Some curious conspiracies are discovered. One of 
the most recent, which for a time created a profound 
sensation at the Yildiz Kiosk and caused the Sultan the 
loss of considerable sleep, was inspired by a young 
Turk of high family named Rechad Bey. His father 
occupies a post of distinction and many of his relatives 
are employed about the court in offices of responsi- 
bility. As a rare favor to the family the Sultan per- 
mitted them to send the young man to England, where 
he attended school for several years and imbibed a 
great many ideas which do not conform to the present 
state of affairs in Turkey. In 1901, upon his return, 
he organized a football club among the young men^ of 
his acquaintance and practiced in a vacant lot behind 
a high wall in the neighborhood of his father's palace. 
The detectives, who are always around, discovered that 
something unusual was going on, and upon making a 
thorough investigation decided that Rechad Bey had 
organized a desperate conspiracy against the life and 
government of the Sultan. He was arrested in the 
middle of the night. The keys to the garden and the 
clubhouse were seized, and the most astounding dis- 
coveries followed. In the clubhouse were found 
several footballs, a lot of jerseys and the colors of the 
club, with shin guards, nose protectors, elbow pads and 
other paraphernalia familiar to football players. To 



58 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

complete the damning evidence one of the detectives 
cunningly ascertained that the name of the large 
elastic bomb which these young men were in the habit 
of kicking around at each other was the same term as 
that used by the Turks for a cannon ball. Hence it 
must be a new kind of bomb or shell, and the police 
authorities were convinced that they had unearthed an 
important conspiracy to assassinate the Sultan and 
blow up the palace. The footballs were submerged in 
water to prevent their explosion, and the sweaters and 
the rest of the outfit were carried cautiously to the 
palace in order that the Sultan might see for himself. 

Football has been played for years in Constantinople 
by the young men of the English embassy and the 
European colony, and also by the students of Robert 
College, but the police authorities and the Sultan 
never happened to hear of it. Hence they knew noth- 
ing of the game. When the friends of Rechad Bey 
learned how serious a predicament he was in they 
appealed to the British embassy for assistance. One 
of the secretaries was sent to the minister of police to 
explain the nature of the game and the uses of the ter- 
rible articles that had been discovered at the club- 
house. He unlaced a football without the slightest 
trepidation and showed the officials how it was made. 
He put on the nose guards, the shin protectors and the 
other armor and attempted to convince them of its 
innocent purpose. But they were still very suspi- 
cious. Perhaps their pride had something to do with 
it, for they insisted upon having Rechad Bey severely 
punished, and he was bundled off in great haste to 
Teheran, Persia, where he cannot do anything to aid 
in the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire. 

The Sultan's advisers tell him that his life is in 



THE SULTAN AND HIS FAMILY 



59 



danger, and are continually discovering conspiracies 
which never exist. A recent fictitious conspiracy 
against him was attributed to one of his best and most 
loyal friends, Fuad Pasha, "The Hero of Elena," one 
of the foremost generals in the war against Russia in 
1877 and the war against Greece in 1897. Fuad Pasha 
is an enlightened and honest man and has had the 
confidence of the foreigners to a degree greater than 
almost any other of the Sultan's favorites. Until 
recently he was so much of a favorite that the Sultan 
allowed him to hold his handkerchief for the people to 
kiss, which was a mark of the greatest honor and con- 
fidence. He kept Fuad Pasha about his person con- 
stantly, giving him the command of his bodyguard; 
but Fuad in some way offended the detective depart- 
ment, which reported to the Sultan that his favorite 
was involved with the reformers known as the "Young 
Turkey" party, and spies were set to watch his house. 
Fuad noticed strange men about the premises. He 
probably suspected who they were and what they were 
there for, but pretended to believe that they were 
burglars, and purchased a supply of rifles and revolv- 
ers, which he placed in the hands of his servants with 
instructions to fire upon the intruders if they became 
offensive. This fact was reported to the Sultan 
promptly, and the vigilance of the spies was increased. 
A few days later a collision occurred between them 
and Fuad's servants, in which several were killed and 
wounded. Fuad was immediately arrested, taken to 
the palace, and after an interview with the Sultan was 
sent aboard the latter' s private yacht, which sailed at 
once for Beirut without allowing the prisoner to 
communicate with his family or friends. He is sup- 
posed to have been sentenced to exile at Damascus 



6o The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

instead of being executed, which is a mark of great for- 
bearance upon the Sultan's part. 

Fuad found plenty of company at Damascus. Sev- 
eral other of the Sultan's former favorites are there in 
exile, hopefully awaiting a day when their sovereign 
will be less susceptible to the influence of his hired 
spies and detectives and more trustful of his loyal 
friends and supporters. The great difficulty, however, 
is in His Majesty's natural distrust. When his suspi- 
cions are once aroused his ideas are always distorted 
and his confidence can scarcely ever be restored. He 
is thus driving away some of his most valuable sup- 
porters. 

In 1901, when the Sultan went to Seraglio Point to 
worship at the mosque that holds the sacred mantle of 
the prophet, another funny thing occurred. He was 
landed at the regular dock, where a carriage was wait- 
ing to convey him to the old palace, but he had not 
proceeded far when he noticed that telegraph wires 
had been stretched across the driveway along the line 
of the railroad, and positively declined to pass under 
them. Nobody knows what was in his mind, or what 
he thought would happen, but the entire procession 
was stopped right there, and remained motionless 
until aides-de-camp had galloped away to summon 
somebody from the railway headquarters who could 
climb the poles and cut down the wires. Nor have 
they been replaced. The Sultan positively forbade it, 
but the railway officials are supposed to have dug a 
trench and hidden them underground. If the Sultan 
learns that fact he may refuse to drive over them. 

He is very superstitious about electricity, but is as 
inconsistent concerning it as he is with everything else. 
He will not permit electric lights or telephones or elec- 



THE SULTAN AND HIS FAMILY 6i 

trie street cars anywhere in Turkey, although the gov- 
ernment has a telegraph line to every important point 
in the empire, and the Sultan has an instrument and 
an operator in his private office to receive messages in 
his own private cipher from detectives and other offi- 
cials in different parts of the country in whom he has 
special confidence, or to whom he may have intrusted 
important business. He maintains a regular system of 
communication with officials of the empire entirely 
distinct from and without the knowledge of their 
immediate superiors. The general of the army and 
the minister of war do not know what communications 
are passing between commanders of posts and districts 
and their sovereign, and the minister of the interior 
can never be sure what private reports are being made 
by his subordinates. Thus the mutual distrust that 
exists between the Sultan and his ministers is not only 
recognized, but promoted. There are three electric- 
light plants in Constantinople — at one of the hotels, at 
the palace of the mother of the Khedive of Egypt on 
the Bosphorus, and at the palace of Hassan Pasha, min- 
ister of marine. There are two private telephone sys- 
tems, one between the headquarters of the Imperial 
Ottoman Bank and its branches throughout the city, 
and the other between the signal-station where the 
Bosphorus connects with the Black Sea and the head- 
quarters of the Maritime Association in Constanti- 
nople. The Sultan will not allow gas or petroleum or 
other explosives to be used about the palace, although 
the park surrounding the palace is brilliantly illumi- 
nated by gas. His rooms and the other apartments 
are lit with candles and equipped with beautiful crystal 
chandeliers. There are several street-car lines oper- 
ated by horses, and the companies have repeatedly 



62 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

applied for permission to use electricity, but have 
always been refused. In the street-cars, ferry-boats 
and other public conveyances there is always a little 
apartment curtained off for the use of ladies. 

Gorges Dorys, author of "The Private Life of the 
Sultan," recently published in England, France and 
the United States, has been sentenced to death. His 
real name is Adossides. The proceedings are only 
formal, however, because Mr. Dorys left the country 
before the manuscript of the book was finished and is 
now living in Paris. The French government has been 
asked to surrender him, but has refused to do so. Mr. 
Dorys, however, will never be able to return to his 
home. All of the European nations were requested by 
the Turkish ambassadors to suppress the volume, and 
the Sultan has been led to believe that his wishes have 
been complied with all over the world; but nothing has 
been actually done, except in Sweden, where an 
attempt to prevent the sale of the book by legal pro- 
ceedings not only failed but gave it a tremendous 
advertisement. 

Mr. Dorys is the son of Adossides Pasha, one of the 
former ministers of the Sultan. His father was a dis- 
tinguished and influential man, at one time governor 
of Crete and afterwards prince of Samos, a post he 
occupied until his death. The son spent his child- 
hood and youth about the Yildiz Kiosk, where he had 
exceptional opportunities for seeing and knowing the 
extraordinary events of the Ottoman court, and much 
of the material used in his book is said to have been 
obtained from the private papers of his late father, 
which fell into his possession after the latter's death. 
Mr. Dorys was correspondent of the London Times at 
Constantinople for two or three years, and as such 



THE SULTAN AND HIS FAMILY 63 

made himself familiar with political conditions. He 
was therefore admirably equipped for the task he 
undertook, but was unable to suppress his prejudice, 
and does not give the Sultan credit for his few virtues. 
The work is both approved and condemned by people 
in Turkey. Some say that it is accurate and just; 
others accuse him of being actuated by personal spite. 
He has at least stirred up the Sultan and his court to 
a degree of indignation that has not been shown there 
for many years. 

The missionaries say that Abdul Hamid is a bad 
Sultan, but a good Moslem; that his fanaticism is 
equal to that of any fakir in his realm; that he is 
responsible for the persecution of the Christians and 
for the massacre of the Armenians; that the orders 
were given by him personally. On the other hand, 
Americans and Englishmen who are in the habit of visit- 
ing the palace and have personal acquaintance with 
His Majesty, insist that he has many good traits and 
that he would not be a bad man at all if he lived under 
different conditions. 

When General Horace Porter, our ambassador to 
France, visited Turkey, the Sultan received him with 
unusual cordiality and attention, because of General 
Porter's former relations to General Grant. When he 
heard that Mr. Porter had been Grant's private secre- 
tary, it was enough. A carriage from the imperial 
stable, an aide-de-camp from the Yildiz Kiosk and a 
.military escort were placed at his disposal and all 
doors in Constantinople were ordered thrown open to 
him. Few travelers have ever been received with so 
much distinction, and before he left the city the Sultan 
gave a dinner in his honor at the palace and decorated 
Mrs. Porter with one of his most important orders. 



64 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

It is remarkable what an impression General Grant 
left during his famous tour around the world. He is 
remembered with reverence everywhere — in China and 
Japan as well as in Turkey. The Sultan and the King 
of Siam, as well as Li Hung Chang, have always 
quoted him to Americans as their highest authority. 
His fame and his influence will be everlasting. 

Mrs. Porter was entertained in the Sultan's harem, 
but that was no unusual courtesy. The wives of the 
diplomatic corps are often received by the sultanas, 
who are glad to see them, and any other strangers for 
that matter, because their lives are very monotonous 
and their diversions are few. No person may ask per- 
mission to visit the imperial or any private harem. It 
would be considered an insult. If the Sultan or any 
Turkish gentleman desires foreign ladies to meet his 
wives he will offer them an invitation, and will either 
conduct them in person to the harem or send them in 
charge of the kizlar-aghasi^ or chief eunuch, a very 
important personage, who ranks next to the grand 
vizier and the Sheik-ul-Islam. 

The Sultans have long ceased to contract regular 
marriages, and the harem is a state institution. 
Nobody knows the exact number of Abdul Hamid's 
wives, but he is supposed to have 300 or 400, who are 
graded and live according to their rank under the 
direction of the khasna-dar kadin^ or superintendent of 
the harem. They are from the prominent families of 
the empire, as frequently the sultanas are able to exer- 
cise a powerful influence in behalf of their relatives 
and friends. When a rich pasha wants to secure the 
favor of the Sultan he offers him one of his daughters 
with a suitable dowry as a wife. If she is accepted 
it is a sign of friendliness as well as a mark of dis- 



THE SULTAN AND HIS FAMILY 65 

tinction. When the governor of the Circassian prov- 
ince, which is said to have the most beautiful 
women in Turkey, wishes to please his imperial mas- 
ter, he will send him a handsome young girl as a gift, 
or when any of his subordinates discover a young 
woman of remarkable attractions they secure her for 
the harem just as they would secure a valuable horse 
for the imperial stables. The Sultan does not always 
accept such gifts. He is supposed to be very fastid- 
ious, particularly now that he has passed the age 
of sixty years, and is becoming quite as suspicious 
regarding the inmates of the harem as he is concern- 
ing the members of his court. His eldest sister, who 
is a woman of very strong character and has more 
influence with him than any other person, looks after 
the harem very closely, and has sent away a large 
number of girls whom she considered supernumeraries, 
if such a term can be used in that connection. It is 
also understood throughout the empire that His Majesty 
does not care for any more wives. He has transferred 
to his favorite pashas several remarkable beauties who 
have been added to the harem within the last few 
years. In the summer of 1902 he sent one of the 
most beautiful to the governor of Damascus to com- 
fort the latter in affliction, as he had recently become 
a widower. 

The ladies of the harem are called sultanas. They 
enter as slaves, and the younger become the servants 
of the older and attend upon them until they are pro- 
moted. If the Sultan takes a fancy to any one of his 
wives her fortune is made, for she is rapidly pro- 
moted, her allowance for dresses and jewels is increased 
and, if she bears a child, she can live apart from the 
rest, as becomes a princess. All children born in the 



66 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

harem, whether of free women or slaves, are legiti- 
mate and of equal lineage, and may inherit the throne 
if they ever become the head of the family. 

The daughters of the Sultan are married to favorite 
pashas and officers of the army. He confers them 
upon his favorite subjects at pleasure, but they are not 
always regarded as a blessing. It is assuming a great 
responsibility to marry the daughter or the sister of 
the Sultan. They are very exacting and naturally 
realize their rank and superiority to ordinary people. 
They are expensive luxuries also, because an imperial 
princess must live in a certain degree of state. 

Ladies of the imperial harem almost without excep- 
tion wear European dress. Only the most recent 
arrivals, girls who come from the interior of the coun- 
try, retain the native costume. The sultanas have 
French maids and order their gowns and hats in Paris. 
Every now ^nd then a French modiste or milliner 
arrives in Constantinople with samples for the inspec- 
tion of the sultanas, from whom she receives very large 
and liberal orders. Although they are seldom seen by 
men, the inmates of the harem have all the feminine 
instincts and there is a great deal of rivalry among 
them. We saw one of the Sultan's favorite wives and 
her daughter driving in a victoria, accompanied by a 
negro eunuch and a military escort. They were 
dressed in European fashion, but were closely veiled 
so that their features could not be distinguished. 

The apartments of the harem are equipped with 
European furniture. The meals are served in Euro- 
pean style and the cooks are French. The French 
language is spoken generally among the sultanas and 
they read French novels. Turkish customs are almost 
obsolete. The traditional harem in which houris sit 



THE SULTAN AND HIS FAMILY 67 

around upon silk rugs with their legs crossed and play 
guitars and eat sweetmeats exists only in the imagina- 
tion. The women live just like any other royal family, 
except that they are not allowed to receive company 
or enter society, and when they leave the palace they 
must wear heavy veils. When the Sultan's wives are 
ill they are attended by the male physician of the Brit- 
ish embassy. This is also an innovation. Formerly 
no Christian physician, was allowed in the harem. The 
patients are always veiled when the doctor visits them. 
Even if they are confined to their beds, strips of mull 
are thrown over their faces. 

Abdul Hamid is the son of Abdul Medjid, who abdi- 
cated in 1861 in favor of his eldest son, Abdul Aziz. 
The latter reigned until 1876, when he was overthrown 
and his next brother, Murad V., was placed in power. 
The latter was an impetuous reformer and one of the 
founders of the "Young Turkey" party, which 
demands a constitution and a change in the form of 
government from an absolute to a limited monarchy. 
When he attempted to carry his ideas into effect his 
ministers pronounced him insane — and perhaps it was 
an evidence of insanity to introduce liberal reforms 
into Turkey — so they shut him up in the Tcheragan 
Palace, upon the banks of the Bosphorus, where it is 
supposed that he still resides in seclusion, although no 
one is bold enough to show curiosity as to his fate in 
the presence of those who would be apt to know. It 
was in that palace also that Abdul Aziz died after his 
abdication. So reliable a witness as the surgeon of 
the British embassy testified that it was a case of sui- 
cide; that the deposed Sultan, in a fit of passion and 
disappointment, opened the arteries in his arms with a 
pair of scissors that were given him to trim his nails. 



68 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 



Q 



But the popular theory is that somebody opened them 
for him and let him bleed to death. Perhaps Prince 
Murad may have met with a similar fate years ago. 
He has not been seen by any competent witness since 
the spring of 1877, and was then pronounced to be in 
an advanced state of paresis — a mere idiot — but the 
circumstance that the Tcheragan Palace has never been 
opened since, and is as closely guarded as ever, leads 
people to suppose Murad still survives. But, as I 
have said, nobody but the confidential eunuchs of the 
Sultan knows anything about him. 

The heir to the Turkish throne is not the son of the 
Sultan, but his eldest living male relative — brother, 
son or cousin, whoever it happens to be. This is the 
law of Islam, and has been a fruitful source of con- 
spiracy and tragedy ever since the Turks have been in 
possession of the Ottoman Empire. It was formerly 
customary for a new Sultan to order the immediate 
execution of all his brothers as soon as he was seated 
upon the throne; but public sentiment in Europe has 
forbidden the application of that heroic precaution 
during the last fifty or sixty years. It is generally 
assumed that the present Sultan would like to murder 
his brothers, but dare not do so; hence he keeps them 
prisoners or constantly under surveillance in the many 
palaces of Constantinople. They are the most unhappy 
and wretched of all his subjects. He has five brothers: 

Murad Effendi, born September 21, 1840. 

Mohammed Reshad Effendi, born November 3, 1844. 

Kemel Eddin Effendi, born December 3, 1847. 

Suleiman Effendi, born March 12, i860. 

Wahid Uddin Effendi, born January 12, 1861. 

Reshad Effendi, the second brother, is therefore the 
heir to the throne, and, although he has been kept a 




GATE TO DOLMA, BAGHTCHEH PALACE, CONSTANTINOPLE 



THE SULTAN AND HIS FAMILY 69 

practical prisoner for twenty years, so that very few 
people know him, he is said to be a man of refine- 
ment, education and integrity, much superior to his 
imperial brother in intellect and appearance. He 
occupies a portion of the Dolma-Baghtcheh Palace in 
Constantinople during the winter months, and during 
the summer goes to Machla, a suburban town, where 
he has a farm and a pretty villa. He has never been 
allowed to leave the immediate vicinity of Constanti- 
nople, and his communications with the outside world 
have been closely restricted by the orders of his 
brother. He is said to read French readily and to 
receive the principal newspapers and reviews of Europe 
that are printed in that language. He is also believed 
to have been in sympathy and in communication with 
his brother-in-law, the late Damad-Mahmoud Pasha, 
who fled to escape a sentence of death for his liberal 
opinions. This is, however, purely conjecture, because 
if- the Sultan, with all his spies, cannot discover such 
a circumstance, it would seem impossible for the gos- 
sips to learn anything about it. 

Prince Kemel Eddin, the third brother, is an invalid, 
and quite as feeble in mind as in body, with a low 
degree of cunning and strong animal instincts. He 
inherits the family tendency to pulmonary complaints. 
Prince Suleiman and Prince Wahid Uddin are allowed 
to go about Constantinople more freely than the other 
brothers, and are quite familiar to the public, better 
known perhaps than any other members of the family. 
Both live in handsome palaces and have liberal allow- 
ances from the public revenues, which they spend with 
great extravagance in luxury and vice. Neither Turks 
nor foreigners seem to care much for them. They 
have no social position and very few friends. 



70 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

The Sultan has several sisters. One of them, Djemile 
Sultana, six years older than he, is a woman of strong 
character and has a great deal of influence with her 
brother. She is with him frequently and takes an active 
interest in public affairs. She has been a widow since 
1858, and really has been a mother to him. They were 
born of the same mother, a Circassian slave, who lost 
her life in giving him birth, and hence they have natu- 
rally been very much attached to each other. The 
other brothers and sisters are the children of different 
wives of his father. As previously stated, all children 
born in the harem, whether of free women or of slaves, 
are legitimate and of equal rank; but, by the law of 
succession, the crown is inherited by the senior male 
descendant of Othman, the founder of the present 
dynasty in 1299. Therefore, so long as he has any 
brothers living, the children of Abdul Hamid will not 
come to the throne. 

The Princess Senieh Sultana, another sister of Abdul 
Hamid, is about fifty years old, and the widow of 
Mahmoud Pasha, who was the leader of the "Young 
Turkey" party and for years an active advocate of its 
principles, regardless of his near relationship to the 
Sultan. His conspiracies, if they may be called such, 
were always carried on directly under the eyes of the 
Sultan, and of course were very offensive to him. Mah- 
moud was a good man, judged by our standard, but a 
great traitor and an unpardonable villain from the 
Turkish point of view. He was educated in France and 
England, where he imbibed liberal ideas, and, return- 
ing to Turkey, married the Sultan's sister and intro- 
duced into his own family many of the customs and 
ideas which he had acquired in western Europe. 

Being anxious that his sons should have a liberal 



THE SULTAN AND HIS FAMILY 71 

education, he sent them to Robert College, the Amer- 
ican Presbyterian Institution on the Bosphorus, just 
beyond the Sultan's palace, which was founded there 
half a century ago by the munificence of Mr. Robert, 
an American merchant. Mahmoud Pasha himself went 
to arrange for the education of his boys, and as there 
were reasons why he did not wish them to form inti- 
macies with the ordinary students, he persuaded Dr. 
Washburn, the president of the institution, to take 
them into his own family. 

The boys remained there just two days. On the 
evening of the second day an aide-de-camp of the 
Sultan summoned them to his presence. They were 
conducted to Yildiz Kiosk, where they had an inter- 
view with him, and were offered commissions in the 
army. The Sultan told their father that they must be 
educated according to Turkish ideas and in the 
Moslem religion. "We have been educated by Turkish 
scholars, selected by our father, who was a wise and 
learned man," he said, "and such an education is good 
enough for your sons, instead of sending them to be 
taught by Christian giaours (infidels)." The boys took 
commissions in the army, but a few months later sur- 
rendered them and went to Paris, where they have since 
resided. By an official edict of the Sultan they have 
been degraded from their princely rank, cashiered 
from the army, banished from Constantinople perma- 
nently and their allowances cut off. In 1901 their 
father was also formally banished after he had fled 
from the city to escape arrest and execution. For 
several months his whereabouts were unknown. He 
was then discovered to be living quietly at Corfu, one 
of the Greek islands. Being compelled to leave there 
he went to Rome, Geneva, and afterward to Brussels 



72 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

where he died January 17, 1903. His wife, the Princess 
Senieh Sultana, is supposed to be imprisoned some- 
where among the many palaces of the Sultan, to 
prevent her from joining her sons, as she is known 
to sympathize with their liberal views. 

An elder sister, the Princess Fatma Sultana, died 
insane in 1892, and the aberration of her mind was a 
serious shock to the Sultan, who dreads insanity as 
much as he dreads death — perhaps more. She was the 
wife of a military adventurer, Nouri Damad Pasha, 
who was sent into exile and afterward assassinated on 
suspicion. 

The youngest member of the family, the Princess 
Medie Sultana, is a woman of quiet disposition, about 
forty years of age, who lives in absolute retirement, 
and is unknown to the foreign colony of Constanti- 
nople. Her husband is Ferid Pasha, an inoffensive 
but respectable army officer. 

Two or three members of the immediate family of 
the Sultan have given him much trouble, and it is 
from his own household that he fears most. He trusts 
nobody. He reigns alone. His ministers are merely 
his instruments and very few of them have any influ- 
ence with him, although, of course, he is compelled to 
depend upon them to carry out his orders and to 
furnish him information. 

Abdul Hamid has ten children — Mehemmed Selim, 
born 1870; Abdul Kidir, born 1878; Ahmed, born 1878; 
Mehemmed Burhan, born 1885; Abdur Rahim, born 
1892. Zekie, his eldest daughter, born 1871, was 
married in 1889 to Nur-ed-din Pasha, who occupies a 
high position in the military department; Naime, a 
second daughter, born 1876, is the wife of Mehemmed 
Kemal, another army officer. There are three other 



THE SULTAN AND HIS FAMILY 



73 



daughters — Naile, born 1884; Shadieh, born 1886, and 
Ayisheh, born 1887. 

So far as I was able to find out, the Sultan's sons are 
decent fellows, although their horizon is very narrow. 
None of them have been permitted to travel, as he 
does not wish them to see anything of the world for 
fear of weakening their faith in their religion and their 
confidence in the form of government he maintains. 
Their education has been intrusted to military ofificers 
and Moslem priests, and they will probably turn out 
as narrow, bigoted and superstitious as their father. 

Prince Selim, the eldest son, is more respected than 
any other member of the family. The fact that there 
are several lives between him and the throne gives him 
greater freedom than he would otherwise enjoy. He 
was born in January, 1870, and is, therefore, thirty-three 
years old. He has only one wife and keeps no harem, 
which is a surprising exception in the imperial family. 
He holds the rank of colonel in the army, and com- 
mands one of the regiments of the palace guards. His 
duties are light, however, and leave him plenty of 
leisure, which he spends in study with French and 
German tutors, although I understand that his French 
tutors were recently dismissed by command of the 
Sultan, because they were suspected of giving the 
young man dangerous information. Prince Selim is 
not intellectual, however; his mind is said to be rather 
dull, but he is patient and studious and has a retentive 
memory, which is perhaps better for a man of his 
position than more brilliant attainments. 

Some years ago Prince Selim incurred the enmity of 
his father because of the use of disrespectful language, 
and was banished to Bagdad for several months, but 
was allowed to return to Constantinople under the 



74 The TURK and his- LOST PROVINCES 

surveillance of Kiazim Pasha, his maternal uncle, who 
has the confidence of the Sultan. The relations 
between the prince and his father have never been 
fully restored, and there -is no confidence between 
them; but the prince receives a liberal allowance and 
is allowed to do practically as he pleases, although he 
is surrounded by spies and is not permitted to leave 
the city. He seems to be very fond of his wife, who 
is the daughter of one of the pashas about the court, 
and of his only child, a little girl now twelve years old. 

Ahmed, the third son, who is twenty-four years old, 
is his father's favorite, and is studying military tactics 
under one of the most successful of Turkish generals. 
He is destined to be commander of the army. Burhan 
Eddin, who is seventeen years old, is also a favorite 
and has considerable musical talent. The Sultan fre- 
quently introduces him to foreign visitors, and has him 
perform for them upon the piano. When Emperor 
William of Germany was visiting Constantinople, 
the young prince was detailed as one of his attendants, 
and the members of the Kaiser's suite took a great 
fancy to him. He was then only about fourteen years 
old, but was quite mature, and conducted himself with 
great dignity. All the princes are educated by French 
and German tutors. 

The Sultan is very liberal toward his family. He is 
absolute master of the finances of the empire. He is 
not required to prepare a budget or report his expend- 
itures. The public money belongs to him and he 
directs its disbursement. 'He gives each one of his 
brothers and sisters a palace fully furnished and 
equipped, and all their household expenses are paid 
from the imperial treasury. In addition to this each 
one of them has an allowance of ;^5,ooo a month 



THE SULTAN AND HIS FAMILY 75 

for pin money. But Abdul Hamid is much more 
economical than Abdul Aziz, his predecessor, who 
squandered more than ^100,000,000 during his reign 
without a thing to show for it, and piled up a debt so 
big that it can never be paid. The public bonds now 
outstanding amount to over ^750,000,000, and the 
revenues of the government can scarcely pay the 
interest. The finances of Turkey, like those of other 
bankrupts, are controlled by a committee representing 
the foreign bondholders, who receive from the treas- 
ury a certain amount of money every month and dis- 
tribute it among the creditors of the nation. 

A Constantinople physician who has had abundant 
opportunities for studying his case, told me that Abdul 
Hamid is a victim of neurasthenia, a nervous disease 
which is a form of insanity, and that his psychological 
condition presents a most interesting problem, for his 
symptoms are complex and vary materially from time 
to time. He is naturally very intelligent, but, living 
in continual terror of assassination, being afflicted with 
chronic insomnia, and having a naturally suspicious 
nature abnormally developed, he has become a mono- 
maniac on the subject of self-preservation. His dispo- 
sition is gentle, and if he had lived like an ordinary 
man he might have escaped the disease from which he 
suffers almost continual agony; but his mistrust of 
everyone around him has become chronic, and he has 
developed a cunning that is never at a loss for expe- 
dients. 

He sleeps only two or three hours out of the twenty- 
four, and then only when somebody is reading to him, 
or some orchestra or musician is performing in the 
adjoining room. Darkness frightens him. There- 
fore a light is always kept burning in his chamber, and 



76 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

Ismet Bey, grand master of the imperial wardrobe, 
always sleeps in the same room. Ismet Bey is his 
foster brother, and probably possesses his confidence 
more than any other living man. Because he resembles 
the Sultan so closely in appearance, it is believed 
among the gossips of Constantinople that he often im- 
personates His Majesty at ceremonies and on other 
occasions where the latter is likely to be exposed to the 
danger of assassination. 

Ismet Bey carries the keys to his desk, his ward- 
robe and his treasury caskets, and is perhaps trusted 
farther and knows more secrets than any other man 
about the palace; but he has no influence whatever 
with the Sultan and would not attempt to exercise it 
if he did, for it would be fatal to him. By a lifetime 
of devotion, as unselfish as any Turk can^ render, he 
has demonstrated his loyalty and disinterestedness. 

The Sultan is always restless and is awakened at the 
slightest sound. When he awakes he always wants 
somebody to talk to, and Elias Bey, second officer of 
the wardrobe, or Faik Bey, one of his confidential 
secretaries, is usually at hand for that purpose. The 
Sultan sleeps in a detached chamber, surrounded by 
corridors on all four sides, and it is a popular impres- 
sion that the walls are of steel. Four or five sentinels 
slowly pace the corridors during the entire night, and 
if the regular measure of their footsteps is interrupted 
the Sultan will waken and inquire the cause. In 
addition to this guard an officer sits at each corner of 
the corridor, where he can see both ways. In order 
to prevent a conspiracy, a detail for this purpose is 
made from among the subalterns of the different regi- 
ments about the palace every night. The names are 
drawn by lot a few moments before the hour and no 



THE SULTAN AND HIS FAMILY ^'j 

one knows of his selection until he receives orders to 
report. These officers have watches of four hours 
each, coming on duty at sunset and remaining until 
sunrise. The Sultan is such a light sleeper that he 
awakens every time the guard is changed. 

He is extremely fond of music, and when restless, 
his orchestra, which is under the direction of Dussap 
Pasha, is required to play all night, or until orders are 
sent to relieve them. His Majesty is also fond of the- 
atrical and vaudeville performances and similar diver- 
sions, finding them a relief from his perpetual fears. 
A theater connected with the palace has two troupes 
of well-paid actors for dramatic and musical perform- 
ances. One of them is composed of Turkish and the 
other of French and Italian artists. Foreign actresses 
and opera singers who visit Constantinople are always 
anxious to appear before His Majesty, because they not 
only receive liberal compensation from the master of 
ceremonies, but, if they happen to please, His Majesty 
is sure to present them with valuable jewels. Few 
people except members of the imperial family are 
permitted to attend these performances. When the 
Sultan invites one of the ambassadors, as he some- 
times does, it is considered a mark of unusual dis- 
tinction. 

The Sultan's dress is extremely simple and free 
from extravagance. He wears a military uniform and 
a campaign cloak such as is worn by the ordinary 
officers of the army. His jewels, however, are unsur- 
passed by any of the sovereigns of Europe. When His 
Majesty requires a new suit of clothes Ismet Bey, his 
foster brother, is used as a model by the tailor, as he 
and the Sultan are almost of the same size. 

His diet is also very simple. He eats very little, of 



78 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

the plainest food, and never touches wine nor liquors of 
any kind, but consumes enormous quantities of coffee, 
which aggravates his nervousness. Up to a few years 
ago a servant with a coffee pot always followed him 
when he went out for exercise, and while driving in 
the park coffee stations were placed at frequent inter- 
vals, where he could stop and refresh himself. By the 
advice of his physicians he now limits himself to five 
or six cups of his favorite beverage a day, and it .is 
said that he has himself noticed an improvement in his 
health. He is not sq nervous and sleeps better. Gen- 
eral Porter, the American ambassador to Paris, told 
me of a dinner at the Yildiz Kiosk, when the Sultan 
ate little but American corn bread and soup. His 
meals are cooked separately from those served to his 
family and guests, and the same man always prepares 
them in a little room, like a laboratory, not bigger than 
an ordinary bathroom. During their preparation an 
inspector always watches the cook for fear of poison. 
The food purchased for the Sultan's use is kept in a 
huge safe to which his private chef alone has the key. 
Eggs and milk are the principal articles of his diet. 
He seldom touches meat, but at dinner usually has 
one or two vegetables. 

Not being able to sleep, the Sultan does not retire 
before midnight, and is always up by 4:30 or 5 o'clock 
in the morning, when he puts on a long silken robe, 
takes a cup of coffee, smokes a few cigarettes and 
reads his correspondence. About seven o'clock he 
takes a bath, and then a breakfast of eggs and rolls 
and more coffee. At one o'clock his luncheon is 
served, which is seldom more than a crust of bread 
and a glass of milk — perhaps a small omelet. Although 
he takes his breakfast and luncheon alone, his dinners 



THE SULTAN AND HIS FAMILY 79 

are always served with great ceremony. His younger 
sons, several of his secretaries and usually two or three 
of his ministers dine with him. The list of his guests 
is usually made out by the grand chamberlain of the 
palace and submitted to His Majesty's approval. The 
dinner is served at eight o'clock in French style, with 
liveried attendants and an orchestra in the balcony of 
the state dining-room, which is a gorgeous apartment. 
As a formality each course is placed before the Sultan 
by the chief butler before it is served to his guests, 
although he never touches it himself, his own food 
being brought from his private kitchen by his personal 
attendant. Sometimes he dines in his harem, where 
his sisters and wives and daughters receive him with 
great ceremony. 

Yildiz, the park in which the palace is situated, is a 
veritable city, with a population of nearly 5,000, 
including the members of the official staff and their 
families, the women of the harem, their slaves and 
eunuchs, the princes and sultanas, with their house- 
holds and servants, the chambermaids, aides-de-camp, 
the imperial guard, which consists of several regi- 
ments, musicians, clerks, gardeners, grooms, valets, 
domestics and other employes, including a number of 
masons, carpenters and other mechanics. The Sultan 
has a machine-shop for the repair of machinery used 
upon the place, an arsenal, which contains several 
thousand stands of arms for both sport and war, and 
samples of all patents and styles. He has also a very 
rich collection of antique oriental arms. 

One of His Majesty's fads is the manufacture of por- 
celain. He has recently set up a factory in the park 
and imported a number of French artists, who are 
making placques and other ornaments. He is fond of 



8o The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

wild animals and has quite an interesting zoological 
garden, with one of the best kennels of dogs in the 
world. 

I was informed by a high authority in Constanti- 
nople that the Sultan pays 1^500,000 annually as 
subsidies to newspapers in Vienna, Berlin, Paris and 
other cities of Europe to defend him and his acts and 
create public sentiment in his favor. After the Arme- 
nian massacres, a few years ago, he distributed more 
than $1,000,000 among the newspapers that treated 
him kindly. Notwithstanding his self-enforced seclu- 
sion, he is as familiar with European affairs as any 
man on the continent, and scarcely anything that 
appears in print of importance or interest concerning 
him or his empire fails to meet his eye. His ambas- 
sadors and ministers at the different capitals are 
instructed to secure all press clippings that relate to 
Turkey and forward them to a central information 
bureau in Constantinople, where they are classified, 
translated and arranged for the Sultan's inspection. 
He spends a great deal of time reading them and 
frequently receives important suggestions and infor- 
mation from them. 

I was repeatedly warned that every newspaper letter 
I wrote from Turkey would be read by the Sultan per- 
sonally. Missionaries and others from whom I 
obtained information frequently asked me not to 
publish certain things, because the Sultan was certain 
to see them and trace them to their source. One gen- 
tleman, in giving me an account of a certain enter- 
prise, remarked: "I wish you would say that the 
Sultan takes a great interest in our affairs. It will do 
you no harm and will do us a great deal of good, for 
he is certain to see your letter and will be pleased." 



THE SULTAN AND HIS FAMILY 8i 

The largest sums of money expended in purchasing 
the good opinion of the press are expended in 
Germany and France, for the Kaiser is the Sultan's 
best friend and most reliable supporter, and he is 
pleased when the German newspapers approve his 
policy. 

Although the censorship in Turkey is very strict, the 
Sultan is a thorough believer in the usefulness and 
importance of the press, and in 1886 conceived the 
idea of founding a great national journal, to be pub- 
lished in the Turkish and French languages and to be 
for Turkey what the London Times is to Great Brit- 
ain. He appointed a committee of five of his minis- 
ters and secretaries to formulate a plan and prepare 
estimates of the cost, but when he received a report 
and found how expensive a luxury his proposed news- 
paper would be, he abandoned the idea. 



IV 

THE SELAMLIK 

On Friday of each week — the Mohammedan Sabbath 
— occurs the Selamlik, the one occasion on which the 
public may see the Sultan, although at a great distance 
for most of them. The Moslem law requires the head 
of the church to make a formal prayer at some mosque 
at least once a week, and Friday is the day naturally 
chosen. Therefore the Sultan must go, sick or well, 
to worship publicly. If he could not perform this duty 
his ministers would dress up a dummy and send it in a 
closed carriage in his place, because the act of rever- 
ence must be performed though the heavens fall. The 
Sultan has his own little mosque attached to the 
palace, where he prays frequently and with great reg- 
ularity, often abruptly leaving his ministers and others 
with whom he is engaged on business when the cry of 
the muezzin is heard from the neighboring minaret. 
No man is more devout or scrupulous in the observ- 
ances of the ritual in which he believes, and in that 
way he sets a good example to his subjects. 

Abdul Hamid's public worship is performed at 
Hamidieh Mosque, a pretty structure within the impe- 
rial park and close to the high iron fence which 
surrounds it, so that those who enter and leave the 
temple may be seen from the street. There is a large 
vacant lot, with rising ground, across the road, 
intended for a drilling ground for cavalry, and on 
every Friday it is crowded with the carriages of those 
who are curious to see the Sultan, and are not 

82 



THE SELAMLIK 83 

allowed to approach any nearer to him. Formerly the 
Selamliks were more public. There was a wooden 
pavilion, a sort of grand stand for spectators, which 
was generally crowded by strangers visiting the city, 
members of the diplomatic corps, and others who were 
fortunate enough to get tickets, but since the assassi- 
nation of King Humbert of Italy and President 
McKinley, it has been torn down and no more invita- 
tions are issued, although upon the personal applica- 
tion of the ambassadors the Sultan will sometimes 
admit foreigners whom they vouch for. Guests are 
allowed to witness the ceremony from the windows or 
the roof of the neighboring palace, but no one else is 
permitted inside the grounds except officials of the 
government, officers of the army and pilgrims who 
constantly visit Constantinople in large numbers. The 
public must be contented with looking through the 
bars of the iron fence or witnessing the pageant 
through field-glasses from the tops of the neighboring 
hills. 

We were at Constantinople during the pilgrim 
season, when faithful Mohammedans on their way to 
Mecca were arriving daily from Russia and the sur- 
rounding states as well as from all parts of the Otto- 
man Empire to pay their respects to the Sultan, who 
is the visible head of their church, and to the Sheik- 
ul-Islam, his vicar in charge of ecclesiastical affairs. 
They are admitted to the Selamlik when properly 
vouched for, but the police are very careful to see that 
no assassin disguised as a pilgrim shall pass the gates. 
The pilgrims occupy a plot bordering upon the road- 
way over which the Sultan drives. As he approaches 
they utter a peculiar cry. It sounds more like a wail 
than a cheer, and is supposed to express reverence and 



84 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

admiration rather than enthusiasm. It is the saluta- 
tion of the true believer to the head of his church, but 
if anyone were to make such a noise at the approach 
of President Roosevelt or any of the sovereigns of 
Europe he would be immediately arrested as a dan- 
gerous person. When the Sultan has gone by, the 
pilgrims bow their heads in reverence and afterward 
push forward and kiss the ground over which the 
wheels of his carriage have passed. Many of them 
are venerable men, priests as well as laymen, and as 
each wears the costume of his country the group 
usually presents a picturesque appearance and adds 
much to the interest of the scene. Those with green 
turbans are descendants of the Prophet Mohammed 
and constitute a clan of themselves. They have main- 
tained their individuality during all the centuries, like 
the house of David among the Jews, but it gives them 
no material advantages. They honor themselves more 
than they are honored by others. You see laborers 
wearing green turbans; yea, even the children of the 
prophet begging bread from infidels. 

There is very little to be seen at a Selamlik except 
the military display. And that is splendid. Nearly 
the entire garrison of Constantinople, numbering 
12,000 or 15,000 of the picked soldiers of the Turkish 
army, appear every Friday in brilliant and peculiar 
uniforms, line the roadway over which the Sultan 
passes, surround the mosque in which he worships and 
are packed into the grounds until their red fezzes and 
glistening bayonets light up the entire park. There 
are regiments of Nubians, Soudanese, Albanians, 
Arabs, Syrians, Kurds, Turkestanese, Bokharans, 
Georgians, Circassians and other races unknown to 
us, which cannot be seen elsewhere. The red fez, 



THE SELAMLIK 85 

white turbans, gold lace, stripes and sashes, white 
gloves, red and green banners and the glitter of the 
arms make a brilliant combination, and one must 
acknowledge that the soldiers of the Sultan are fine- 
looking fellows, although they may be as wicked and 
as cruel as represented. They are all Moslems. No 
Christian is admitted to the army, but every Christian, 
Jew and Gentile subject of military age is required to 
furnish a Moslem substitute. There are numerous 
military bands playing modern music very poorly, and 
it may gratify Mr. Sousa to know that his marches are 
as popular in Turkey as elsewhere. The pashas and 
generals wear dazzling uniforms, covered with gold 
braid and lace, and other officers, bedecked with equal 
brilliancy, seem innumerable. The grounds of the 
palace suddenly become an ocean of gold lace and red 
fezzes. 

When a carriage arrived with a black man upon the 
box in the footman's place, we knew it brought ladies 
from the harem with a eunuch in charge. While all 
black men are not eunuchs, all euiiuchs are black. 
They are brought from Africa and Arabia when 
children and are purchased like other slaves. The 
Sultan's wives and sisters usually attend the Selamlik, 
but have their own place in the mosque partitioned off 
by screens. They cannot even enter the same door 
with their sovereign master. He must pray alone. 
Only the Sheik-ul-Islam, the high priest of the 
Moslems, or some great mufti designated to represent 
him, is admitted, whose presence is necessary to carry 
out the ritual. 

The guardian of the harem, the kizlar-aghasi, or 
chief eunuch, who ranks next to the grand vizier and 
the Sheik-ul-Islam, was present, having in charge four 



86 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

sultanas. Each had her own carriage drawn by white 
horses and a military escort and was attended by 
ladies-in-waiting. Three of the Sultan's sons rode on 
horseback among the pashas that formed his body- 
guard, and another, a little chap about ten years old, 
had a tiny brougham drawn by ponies similar to that 
used by Tom Thumb. He was accompanied by his 
tutor, an officer of the army, and by a little aide-de-camp 
of his own age, a miniature imitation of those who 
attended his imperial father. The little prince was in 
the uniform of a colonel of the army, wearing a sword 
and baby revolvers, and his aide was dressed to corre- 
spond. 

Another carriage, one of the latest arrivals, was 
occupied by a little girl— one of the Sultan's daughters, 
attended by a woman with unveiled face, wearing a 
violet satin gown. Hence we knew her to be a 
foreigner and were told that she was the little sultana's 
French governess. We noticed that she sent one of 
her attending eunuchs with a coin to a crippled beggar 
who caught her eye outside the gates. 

After the carriages came two covered vans like those 
used in the United States to move furniture. They 
backed up to the entrance of the mosque and dis- 
charged a lot of rugs, chairs, chests and other things 
that were carried inside, but I could not find out what 
they were for or why they should be delivered just at 
this time. Then a squad of servants in long white 
robes came out of the mosque, washed the marble 
steps and dried them carefully with cloths, after which 
they spread a long rug that reached from the gravel 
roadway to the vestibule, so that His Majesty's feet 
might not touch the vulgar earth, and fastened it down 
with brass rods. Then appeared a dozen carts loaded 



THE SELAMLIK Sy 

■~^ 
with sand, which was sprinkled along the roadway to 
absorb the moisture and deaden the noise of the 
wheels. When these preparations were complete the 
notes of a trumpet were heard in the distance — the 
signal that the Sultan had left the palace and was on 
his way. A white-robed muezzin with a big turban 
appeared upon the balcony of the beautiful minaret 
and gave the conventional call to prayer, only his cry 
was louder and the wail more prolonged than usual. 
Two columns of pashas and generals in brilliant uni- 
form, on horseback, appeared around the curve, riding 
slowly, and when the leaders reached the steps of the 
mosque they opened ranks, facing each other, and 
formed an aisle for the Sultan to pass through. They 
were an additional guard for his safety. 

The general of the army, a stern-looking man with 
an intellectual forehead, large gray eyes, a Roman 
nose and a grizzled beard, mounted upon a magnificent 
charger, next appeared, surrounded by his staff. 
Formerly Osman Pasha, the hero of the Russo-Turkish 
war, held this position and attended his sovereign 
regularly each Friday until his death. Closely follow- 
ing him, surrounded by a squad of officers running on 
foot, came a low carriage drawn by a pair of beauti- 
ful white horses, in which sat Abdul Hamid, the 
Sultan of Turkey and the successor of the Prophet of 
Islam. On the opposite seat was the minister of war 
— one more precaution — and it is said that the standing 
order to the bodyguard is to shoot down that official 
instantly in case an attack is made upon the Sultan. 
He is held responsible for the safety of his imperial 
master, and if the protection provided by him proves 
inadequate his punishment is death. Riza Pasha, the 
present minister of war, is a large, fat man, so large 



88 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

that the diminutive figure of the Sultan looked very 
small by contrast. Abdul Hamid is slight of stature 
and weighs only 135 pounds. He looks like the late 
Jay Gould and the late Matias Romero, for many 
years Mexican ambassador to the United States. He 
wore a shabby military overcoat and a red fez. His 
face is very melancholy. His eyes are large and have 
a wandering look. He is said to be the saddest man 
on earth, and he looks it. An escort of young offi- 
cers on foot followed the carriage, the Sultan's aides- 
de-camp and secretaries, and as the pageant proceeded 
everybody saluted and bowed. The crowd outside the 
gates cheered, but were not very enthusiastic. The 
Sultan's eyes took in everything. They surveyed the 
scene with extraordinary rapidity. His ofificers say 
that he never overlooks anything that is amiss. He 
can see where a button is off the coat of a soldier as 
he rides by. 

The imperial group was followed by an empty 
phaeton drawn by a pair of white horses with gold- 
mounted harness and half-blankets of leopard skin, 
and also by five saddle horses — the most beautiful 
animals you ever saw — so that the Sultan could choose 
among them if he should take the whim to ride back 
to the palace from the ceremony. As he passed the 
pilgrims he bowed to them several times. When he 
reached the mosque he stopped upon the steps, turned 
around, faced them and bowed and bowed again, while 
they uttered the peculiar wail that I have described. 
He then entered the vestibule, followed by the minister 
of war and several of his aides. 

While the Sultan was at prayer strips of matting 
were unrolled upon the pavement, and the pilgrims, 
swarming out, kneeled upon it with their faces toward 



THE SELAMLIK 89 

Mecca and went through their devotions, a priest 
leading them. This continued for half an hour or so, 
until the Sultan reappeared, got into the phaeton, 
took the reins in his own hands and drove back to the 
palace surrounded by his aides-de-camp and secretaries 
on foot, who are compelled to run at full speed to 
keep up with him. This pageant is witnessed every 
Friday, but it is conducted with so many safeguards 
and precautions that the military display is not seen 
at its full effect. 

There is no particular place for the burial of 
Sultans. Each Sultan usually builds his" own tomb, 
according to his own taste and extravagance, but 
throughout the city may be found several turbets, or 
tombs, containing the bodies of one or more Sultans 
with their favorite wives beside them. , The graves 
are covered with plain cenotaphs of stuccoed brick 
four or five feet high and seven or eight feet long, 
draped with covers of black broadcloth or velvet, 
exquisitely embroidered with silver or gold, and upon 
them are usually several cashmere shawls of the very 
finest texture, fabrics of priceless value, gifts and 
tributes from neighboring kings and governors. Dis- 
tinguished men. Sultans and others, are buried in the 
different mosques, the most sacred being that of Eyub 
Ansari, the standard-bearer and most intimate com- 
panion of the Prophet Mohammed, who was killed 
by the Arabs at the siege of Constantinople, A.D. 
668. His burial-place was revealed in a dream to a 
celebrated priest during the attack of Mohamrried H. 
upon Constantinople, and its discovery inflamed the 
fanaticism of the Turkish soldiers to such a degree 
that their next attack upon the city was irresistible. 
After the capture Mohammed H. erected the mosque 



90 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

of Eyub upon the site of the grave, and it is held so 
sacred that no Christian has ever been allowed to 
enter the gates of the walls that surround it, or even 
to live in the neighborhood. It is a beautiful building 
of white marble, with a large dome, two small domes 
and many semi-domes, and two graceful minarets. It 
stands on the banks of the Golden Horn about five 
miles from the city, and upon the accession of a new 
Silltan a ceremony corresponding to the coronation of 
a Christian sovereign takes place there. After per- 
forming an elaborate service of prayer the new Sultan 
is girded with the sword of Osman, the founder of the 
dynasty, by the superior of the dervishes. The sword 
of Osman always lies upon the tomb of Eyub, con- 
stantly watched by relays of the priests and monks who 
have charge of the temple. The tomb is of silver gilt 
and elaborate workmanship, covered with a cloth of 
gold, surrounded by a high gilt railing and overhung 
with many costly lamps. 

At the village is a factory in which are made the 
fezzes worn by the soldiers of the Turkish army. 




A STREET OF CONSTANTINOPLE 



V 

THE CITY OF THE GRAND TURK 

Poets, painters and other people with vivid imagi- 
nations and emotional natures have become ecstatic in 
describing the city of the Grand Turk, and while it 
has unique and exquisite attractions, it is no more 
beautiful than New York or San Francisco, Rio de 
Janeiro, Naples, Hongkong or half a dozen other cities 
I might name. There is none of the barbaric splendor, 
the gold and purple and blue and scarlet of Moscow, as 
seen from the Sparrow Hills; nor the fantastic pagodas 
and temples of Kioto or Peking. It has none of the 
quiet dignity of Stockholm or the soft beauty of 
Naples, but the colors that are lacking and the gor- 
geousness that is invisible is readily supplied by the 
imaginations of tourists, who generally see what they 
expect to see, no matter whether it is there or not. 
You find the same trouble in Holland and Spain after 
reading the books of D'Amici, and at Venice after 
studying Ruskin. Perhaps it is the fault of the 
observer, who lacks sufficient sentiment, but when you 
begin to dissect the scene and separate the actual from 
the imaginary the criticism of practical minds is sus- 
tained. 

The continents of Europe and Asia are separated by 
the Sea of Marmora, which is no miles long and 40 
miles wide in its widest part. At the west end it is 
entered through the Hellespont or Dardanelles, a 
deep and swift stream or strait, about as wide as the 
Hudson River. The place where Leander swam across 

91 



Q2 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

to visit Hero, his sweetheart, and where Lord Byron 
imitated his example, is only about three-quarters of a 
mile wide, and although to swim it was a prodigious feat 
in those days, it would not be more than an ordinary 
adventure to many members of a modern athletic club. 

At its east end the Sea of Marmora is connected 
with the Black Sea by the Bosphorus, a channel similar 
to the Hellespont. These streams, which form a 
remarkable boundary between the continents, have 
always been regarded of great strategic importance, 
and from the time of Alexander the Great to Alexan- 
der n. of Russia have been fought for by rival nations. 

Where the Bosphorus joins the Sea of Marmora there 
is a little bay, about half a mile wide at its mouth, 
growing gradually narrower and curving like a cornu- 
copia for about three miles through the hills to a point 
where it receives fresh water from a little stream. 
This bay is called the Golden Horn. Between the 
Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmora is a tongue of 
land similar in size and shape to Manhattan Island, 
upon which New York is built, except that it is higher 
in the center. This ridge, or "hog's back," rises about 
five hundred feet above the water, and at intervals is 
broken by gullies, or quiebras^ as the Spaniards call 
them — gashes that have been cut into the soil by water. 
This ridge or tongue of land is occupied by the old city 
of Stamboul, and upon the extreme point, correspond- 
ing to Battery Park, New York, is located the Seraglio, 
a group of palaces occupied by the Sultans before the 
nineteenth century. An imposing marble gate, by 
which the grounds are entered, is the ancient Sublime 
Porte, and from it is derived the title by which the 
Turkish government is often referred to in history 
and diplomatic discussions. The modern Sublime 



THE CITY OF THE GRAND TURK 93 

Porte is a still more imposing marble gate which leads 
into an inclosure where are situated the palace of the 
grand vizier, the ministry of finance and other official 
departments of the government. 

Upon the opposite side of the Bosphorus, situated to 
Stamboul as Jersey City is to New York, is Scutari, a 
city of residences, schools, hospitals,' military bar- 
racks, carpet factories and other manufacturing estab- 
lishments, with a population of about 50,000. It is 
surrounded by a group of fertile hills, which in the 
spring and summer are covered with brilliant foliage. 

Upon the opposite side of the Golden Horn a steep 
hill, rising directly from the water, is occupied by the 
city of Galata, corresponding to Brooklyn. Its 
houses and shops are arranged in terraces along pre- 
cipitous slopes to a height of five hundred feet; and on 
the other side of the crest, which slopes to the Golden 
Horn, is the city of Pera, which means "beyond" — 
that is, the place beyond the hill. 

This completes the group of four cities, which, com- 
bined, are called Constantinople, and from the bridge 
which connects Stamboul and Galata, or at any other 
point between, they are spread out before the spectator 
like an audience in an amphitheater, rising in irregular 
terraces and showing patches of whitewashed walls 
among unpainted, wood-colored houses, shingled roofs 
and occasionally a roof of tile. Here and there appear 
squatty domes like warts, queer-looking towers and 
slender minarets, which are peculiar to Constantinople 
and are its greatest attraction. The domes indicate 
mosques and occupy the summits of the hills. Their 
ugliness heightens the beauty and grace of the min- 
arets by which they are surrounded. The minarets 
take the place of church steeples and the campaniles 



94 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

or bell-towers that are usually attached to cathedrals 
in southern Europe. They look very slender and very 
tall, rising often to the height of three hundred feet — 
delicate, beautiful shafts, perhaps twenty feet in diam- 
eter at the bottom and gradually tapering to a needle 
point at the top, upon which a golden crescent is always 
placed. About the center, overlooking the roofs of 
the houses and the adjoining streets, are balconies, 
sometimes only one, sometimes two, and, on the taller 
minarets three, protected by beautifully carved balus- 
trades and sustained by brackets, from which the 
muezzin calls the Mohammedans to prayer. In Con- 
stantinople most of the minarets are of marble and 
other stones, as they were built by rich Sultans as 
monuments to their own memory, but elsewhere such 
structures are of brick, coated with stucco, and kept 
neatly whitewashed. Whatever may be said of the 
Moslem, his houses of worship always show evidences 
of careful and constant attention. You seldom see a 
slovenly mosque and seldom a mosque out of repair. 
They set an example to other religious sects in this, 
as in several other matters. 

The view from any place of observation will com- 
prehend nearly all of the city of Constantinople 
except, of course, those portions which are on the 
opposite side of the ridges. I do not know of any 
city of which so much can be viewed from a single 
point. Standing upon the bridge that crosses the 
Golden Horn, one can easily see the abodes of two- 
thirds of the population spread out before him. But 
the view is monotonous. There is a lack of variety 
about the architecture which is very tiresome. One 
house differs from another so little that the eye 
becomes weary and rests gratefully upon the pic- 



THE CITY OF THE GRAND TURK 



95 



turesque towers and the beautiful minarets that rise 
here and there in striking relief. Several conspicuous 
buildings stand out boldly. These are the embassies 
of Russia, Germany and other European Powers on the 
Galata side and the government offices in Stamboul. 
The largest buildings, and those which are most con- 
spicuous in every direction, are occupied as barracks by 
the Sultan's army. There are no parks, no promenades, 
no amusements, no theaters except one which is insig- 
nificant, and no entertainments or diversions for the 
people except a few low-class vaudeville performances. 

The streets are irregular, narrow and crooked and 
wind up in serpentine or zigzag fashion to the top of 
the town. It is evident that they originally followed 
the trails of goats, which, unlike the buffalo, are poor 
engineers. The straight streets are so steep that no 
load can be hauled up them, and many of them are 
actually stairways, with small shops on either side. In 
building the city no grading was done and no filling. 
The natural topography was allowed to remain 
unaltered, which, while it adds to the picturesque- 
ness, is a permanent embargo on business. Horses 
cannot be used for transportation purposes because 
the streets are too narrow and too steep and the pave- 
ments are too rough. 

There are a few carts and a good many donkeys 
with panniers upon their backs, but heavy freight, like 
lumber, bales of merchandise and such things are 
carried from one place to another by men. It is a 
common thing to see eight, twelve or sixteen men 
with long poles staggering under a load of dry goods, 
hardware, iron rails or timbers for the construction of 
houses. They can carry their cargo only a little way 
without stopping to rest, and as long as they are 



96 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

engaged, block the entire street. No carriage can 
pass them, and even a donkey finds it difficult to 
creep by. You will appreciate the difficulty of doing 
business with these embarrassments, and will not be 
surprised that the commerce and internal trade of 
Constantinople is less than that of the average 
German or French city of one-fourth its population. 
More business is done in New York in one day than in 
Constantinople during the entire 365. 

There are no sidewalks except upon a few of the 
principal streets, and they are very narrow. The 
houses are high — five, six and seven stories — without 
elevators, and are divided into tenements, the ground 
floor being occupied in most cases for business 
purposes. The architecture is indifferent where it is 
not ugly. Most of the city is built of wood, unpainted, 
and the cheapest kind of construction; much of it 
being in an advanced state of dilapidation. Some of the 
houses in the principal residence quarter remind me 
of those on the West Side in Chicago, the wooden 
fafades being covered with "ginger-bread work," 
balconies, loggias and other architectural frills. In 
the Turkish quarter there is even less of architectural 
interest. Only occasionally can a Moorish design be 
seen or any building of the oriental type. You can 
follow some of the longest streets from one end to the 
other without finding a window or a door or a roof or 
a balcony that looks like what you expected to see in 
Turkey. When the lower sash of the window is 
covered with fixed lattice work you may know that it 
is some Turk's harem. The houses occupied by 
Greeks, Armenians, Jews and Europeans have ordinary 
windows and no blinds, and as only about one-fourth 
of the population of Constantinople — the estimates are 



THE CITY OF THE GRAND TURK 97 

generally less — are Turks, and three-fourths are for- 
eigners, you should not expect anything but what you 
see, and must swallow your disappointment. 

There are other reasons, in addition to the topog- 
raphy, why. the houses are so cheaply and indiffer- 
ently built. All foreigners are in Constantinople on 
sufferance and the investment of money is unsafe. 
When a foreigner erects a house he takes great risks 
and naturally does not wish to spend any more upon it 
than is absolutely necessary. Furthermore, an evi- 
dence of prosperity would immediately attract the 
attention of the officials, who are all Turks, and the 
assessment for taxation would at once be raised. The 
Turkish officials receive little if any compensation 
from the government, and are obliged to turn into the 
treasury for the use of the Sultan and his court certain 
sums of money annually. This money and whatever 
they need for themselves must be raised by whatever 
measures they can manage, and, as they have autocratic 
powers, it is easy for them to make good their quota. 
If they see a man, particularly an Armenian or a Jew 
— they do not care so much about Greeks — showing 
signs of prosperity and wealth, they make prepara- 
tions to bleed him, and the methods they adopt are 
usually successful. The population of Stamboul 
around the Seraglio is mostly Turkish, and beyond 
that Armenian and Jewish. The inhabitants of Galata 
are mostly Greeks, and those of Pera are English 
French, Germans and subjects of other European 
Powers. 

Landing at Constantinople is an exciting experience. 
The ships anchor out in the stream, and passengers, 
with their luggage, are taken ashore in rowboats. No 
traveler is allowed to land without a passport. If he 



98 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

is a resident of Turkey he must have a permit granted 
by the police officials of the town in which he lives. 
If he is a foreigner his passport must be vised by the 
Turkish consul or minister at the port of his departure. 

When the steamer comes to anchor the gangplank is 
at once surrounded by a motley crowd of boatmen, 
howling like a lot of demons and grabbing at the 
luggage of the passengers. If you have not a courier 
to look after you and^your belongings the best thing is 
to give yourself up to Cook, the traveler's friend and 
protector. If you have written ahead to engage 
apartments at any of the hotels a dragoman, or inter- 
preter, will be sent down to meet you and help you 
through the custom-house, but Cook's men always 
come aboard, not only at Constantinople but at all the 
eastern ports, and are a blessing to tenderfeet. 

As each boatload passes towards the landing-place it 
is stopped in midstream by a policeman seated in the 
stern of a Turkish caique^ or canoe, who counts the 
number of passengers and the number of pieces of 
baggage. What this is done for I was unable to dis- 
cover, but the most reasonable theory is that it is 
intended as a checking system for the police, in order 
that no stranger shall enter the country without their 
knowledge. 

The guidebooks, which are closely censored by the 
Turkish government, so that they may not contain 
anything offensive or treasonable to the Sultan, state 
very plainly that couriers and dragomans from the 
hotels can "arrange" with the customs officers so that 
the inspection of luggage will be only formal. The 
only thing that they are after is books. Their orders 
are very strict in that respect. They are positively 
forbidden to pass any books, newspapers, manuscripts 



THE CITY OF THE GRAND TURK 99 

or sealed parcels, all of which must be submitted to 
examination by the censor, who destroys all works per- 
taining to the Mussulman religion, the personality of 
the Sultan, the foreign relations or the internal affairs 
of Turkey. Guns, revolvers and that sort of thing, 
which are prohibited in most countries, are admitted 
without objection in Turkey. We were advised to 
conceal all our guidebooks, notebooks, manuscripts 
and that sort of thing in the bottom of our trunks in 
case of an emergency, although our dragoman, or 
guide, said he did not think any of them would be 
opened. When they were landed and carried into the 
dilapidated and dirty old wooden building of one story 
used for a custom-house, all the trunks, bags and rug 
rolls were arranged in a row upon a'bench and the 
dragoman proceeded calmly to negotiate with the 
inspectors. How much he paid to pass them I do not 
know, but it was not a large sum, and we were soon 
sent on our way rejoicing. 

The baggage of passengers leaving Constantinople 
is examined quite as closely as that which comes in, 
and the same process occurs. The customs officers 
often demand larger bribes from outgoing than incom- 
ing travelers, and will threaten to detain their luggage 
if the money is not paid. 

The same corruption and the same practices exist in 
other branches of the custom-house, only to a greater 
extent. Imported merchandise is seldom inspected. 
Merchants doing business in Constantinople usually 
have a regular arrangement with the customs officials 
to admit their goods without examination upon the 
payment of certain sums, which cover both the customs 
duties and the bribes. These practices must be known 
to the higher officials, because nearly all of them have 



LofC. 



100 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

been promoted to the positions they occupy, and they 
require a certain amount of revenue from each 
inspector or appraiser every month. The latter must 
raise it the best way he can. There is a regular tariff, 
of course, and fixed rates of duty for different kinds of 
merchandise, but it is seldom observed, even in the 
case of strangers. 

All travelers in Turkey must have tezkerehs^ or 
traveling permits, which are granted upon the applica- 
tion of the minister or consul of the country from 
which they come, and are an acknowledgment on the 
part of the Ottoman authorities of their responsibility 
for the safety of the bearer. Natives have ordinary 
passports, but no man can land at a port or buy a 
steamship or railway ticket without showing a docu- 
ment of this kind, which not only is a protection to 
the traveler, but also gives the police authorities an 
opportunity to watch suspicious persons. 

The United States diplomatic and consular officials 
in Turkey receive almost daily applications for cei*tifi- 
cates from Armenians who claim to be naturalized, 
but there has been so much fraudulent naturalization 
that they no longer issue them unless they are satisfied 
that the applicant is a bona fide citizen of the United 
States stopping temporarily in Turkey. Certain 
Armenians in New York, San Francisco and other 
cities for years did a fraudulent naturalization business, 
and for large fees obtained papers for Armenians in 
Turkey who had never been in the United States. It 
is an easy thing for a man to make application in any 
of the courts under any name, and again make a second 
or third or fourth or repeated applications under other 
names later without being detected. When the papers 
are issued they are forwarded to Turkey to the persons 



THE CITY OF THE GRAND TURK loi 

whose names they bear, and the latter use them when- 
ever necessary. Not long ago such fraudulent papers 
were abundant in Turkey, but many of them have been 
taken from the holders and retained by the United 
States officials. When a man claiming to be a natu- 
ralized citizen of New York cannot tell the name of 
the street upon which he lives and does not know the 
location of Brooklyn or Jersey City; who never heard 
of Washington, Grant, McKinley or Roosevelt, and 
cannot give the name of the long street which runs 
from one end of New York to the other, it is pretty 
certain that he is not entitled to the protection of our 
government, but has abused its hospitality by obtain- 
ing naturalization papers under false pretenses. 

Constantinople is the seat of the Sheik-ul-Islam, the 
ecclesiastical head of the Moslem faith, and also the 
seat of the Patriarchs of the Greek and the Armenian 
churches, and of the chief rabbi of the Jews. Every 
other religion has its representatives among the popu- 
lation, which is more cosmopolitan than that of any 
other city. It is claimed that there are in Constanti- 
nople representatives of every nation and every tribe 
upon the globe, and that every language is spoken. 
It is common to see signs written in eight or nine 
languages on the fronts of the retail shops. These 
races and religions are all more or less antagonistic. 
There is nothing to unite them. Each suspects the 
other of treachery. They have no relations, except in 
trade, and in their commercial dealings they are all 
trying to cheat each other. 

Everybody lives in a state of constant apprehension, 
in a vague dread of danger, and there is good reason 
for it, because the hand of Ishmael is still against every 
man. 



I02 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

-■-*■ 

No census has ever been taken of Constantinople, 
and the population is unknown. Estimates range all 
the way from 875,000 to 1,250,000, and the latter figure 
is probably somewhere near the truth, judging from 
the dense manner in which the people are huddled 
together and the enormous area covered by the city. 
The floating population is very large. Thousands of 
men are constantly coming and going, spending a 
portion of each season in the city and the remainder 
of the year in the provinces of Turkey or in some 
neighboring state. 

According to religious belief the population is sup- 
posed to be divided somewhat as follows: 

Moslems 400,000 

Greeks 175,000 

Armenians 250,000 

Jews 75,000 

Bulgarians , 6,000 

Greek Catholics 1,200 

Roman Catholics 7, 500 

Protestants . . . . . . " . . 2,000 

Miscellaneous . . . . . . , 150,000 

The city is divided into ten municipal circles or 
wards, which, combined, constitute a vilayet, whose 
affairs are directed by a prefet, assisted by a mejlis, or 
council, and a large staff of officials. Each municipal 
circle has a director and is subdivided into precincts 
which are governed by mudirs. Tht prefet, or governor, 
is a despot, responsible to no one but the Sultan and 
exercising absolute and unquestioned authority over 
the lives and property of his subjects. Men disappear 
and their property is confiscated at his orders, and no 
questions can be asked. He regulates the taxes, 
receives the funds and disposes of them without a 
question. The mudirs and other subordinates carry 



THE CITY OF THE GRAND TURK 103 

out his instructions and trust him to stand between 
them and the Sultan. The priests and monks of the 
Moslem Church must be taken into consideration 
always, as they are the most powerful body in Con- 
stantinople, and their influence over the people is 
undisputed. The Sheik-ul-Islam, the head of the 
church, stands next to the Sultan in power and author- 
ity and the prefet and mudirs are careful never to 
offend him. 

The Armenians at one time were the most important 
part of the business community, but since the massacres 
in 1896, when at least 5,000 of that sect were butchered 
and their property looted and confiscated, they have 
been exceedingly cautious, and at present very few of 
the 250,000 Armenians in Constantinople are doing 
business under their own names. Some of them have 
gone into partnership with Turks, paying the latter a 
certain percentage of the profits of their business for 
protection and the use of their names. Many of the 
old shops of Armenian merchants now have Turkish 
signs over the doors, for which privilege, however, the 
owners have to pay a heavy blackmail. Since the 
massacres every Armenian has been discharged from 
the employ of the government and very generally 
from the employment of private Turks. Before 1896 
and as far back as anyone can remember, Armenians 
held the most important subordinate positions under 
the government because of their executive ability, 
particularly in the financial department, where they 
are very strong; but now the vindictiveness of the Turk 
against them is so violent that the name of Armenia 
has been stricken off the map and that province is 
known as Upper Turkey. The custom-house officers 
will not permit the importation of maps bearing the 



104 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

name Armenia. If any such are found they are con- 
fiscated and burned, and every book containing the 
name Armenia is blotted by the censor. 

The Greeks, who are next in numbers, are also busi- 
ness men and now have the largest share of the mer- 
cantile trade in their own quarter of the city. Although 
Turkey was recently at war with Greece and the rivalry 
between the two countries is bitter, there is no hatred 
or prejudice against them. The same is true of the 
Jews. Both races live at peace with their Turkish 
neighbors, and are allowed to worship God in their own 
way without interference, and are never compelled to 
endure such persecutions as have been suffered by the 
Armenians for centuries. The explanation of this is 
that Greeks and Jews never meddle in politics, while 
the Armenians are continually doing so. Furthermore, 
the province of Armenia has been in a state of discon- 
tent for many years, and its inhabitants are constantly 
exciting revolutions against their oppressors — usually 
with very bad judgment and no possible prospect of 
success. Palestine is just as much a Turkish province 
as Armenia, but its inhabitants submit to the des- 
potism under which they are born, while the Arme- 
nians will not. 

Half the Greeks and Armenians in Turkey have lost 
their own languages because they have been forbidden 
to speak them. Without practice they have forgotten 
their native tongues. The Jews have been more 
kindly treated. The Armenians are compelled to 
worship in secret. Greek churches can be found in 
every part of the Ottoman Empire as public as the 
Mohammedan mosques, and no Jewish synagogue is 
ever interfered with by Moslem mobs. It is the 
Armenians that they attack exclusively. 



THE CITY OF THE GRAND TURK 105 

The ferry-boats which run to all parts of the Bospho- 
rus are very much like those on the Thames in London 
and on the Seine in Paris. They have time-tables, 
which are posted in convenient places and published 
in the newspapers, but are seldom observed; no one 
knows why, except that it is the nature of the Turk. 
A boat which is advertised to start at nine o'clock 
may go ten minutes before or twenty minutes after. 
The guidebooks warn people not to rely upon the 
published announcements. The boats to Brussa, a 
neighboring town much frequented by tourists, the 
guidebook says, leave daily, "some time between 
7 a.m. and 8:30 p.m., according to circumstances." In 
other words, their movements depend upon the cargo, 
the number of passengers and the whim of the captain. 

The railway management is very much the same. 
While I was in Constantinople, in the spring of 1902, a 
small section of the track between that city and 
Budapest was washed away. The trains going west 
returned to Constantinople, but the trains coming east 
from Budapest and Vienna were not notified of the 
obstruction and were allowed to start as usual and 
accumulated at the washout, where there were no 
accommodations for the passengers, no place for them 
to eat or sleep. When the cars were finally sent back 
to Adrianople, the nearest town, the passengers were 
compelled to pay full fare to that point. The mails 
for several days were allowed to accumulate at the 
washout and were held there for nearly three weeks, 
when they might have been taken back a few miles to 
Adrianople and sent around by another route, via 
Bucharest, but no one seemed to have thought of it, 
although such accidents and interruptions of traffic 
occur every year. Passengers by the Orient express, 



io6 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

which is the most expensive train in the world, were 
allowed to leave Constantinople and were carried to 
the washout. Tickets were sold to London, Paris, 
Berlin, Vienna and other distant points and full sleep- 
ing-car fare was collected and all tickets are limited 
to one day — the date stamped upon them. The rail- 
way company would not extend them or refund the 
money or give rebates, and even compelled the pas- 
sengers who were carried to the blockade to pay, not 
only the regular fare, but what is termed a "speed 
supplement" charged upon express trains, and also 
the full sleeping-car rates. Those who attempted to 
secure a rebate or the return of their money were 
calmly informed that it was not the practice of the 
railway company to redeem its tickets, and persons 
who started for London and other places by the first 
train after the break was repaired were compelled to 
buy new tickets and pay again the regular sleeping-car 
charge and the "speed supplement." 

A gentleman who purchased a ticket from Vienna to 
Constantinople was compelled to turn back at Sofia, 
about half way on his journey, and asked the railway 
officials to redeem the unused portion. They refused 
to do so on the ground that he had given no reason 
why it should be done. He replied at once that he 
had been met by a telegram stating illness in his family 
which required him to postpone his journey and return 
to Vienna, and asked that the money he had paid for 
the ticket be refunded or the time limit be extended, 
so that he could use it at some future date The 
railway officials calmly replied that they did not con- 
sider the reason given sufficient, 



VI 

SCENES IN CONSTANTINOPLE 

Experienced travelers have often asserted that the 
representatives of a larger number of races and more 
picturesque costumes can be seen upon the bridges of 
Constantinople than anywhere else in the world, and 
those who have watched the throngs that are continu- 
ally passing to and fro on foot, on horseback, on 
donkeys, in carriages and in sedan chairs are inclined 
to believe the assertion. There are two bridges across 
the Golden Horn, about one mile apart. Both are 
pontoons, strips of planks laid upon iron floats or 
caissons, and were intended to be temporary. The 
erection of a permanent bridge across the Golden Horn 
between Stamboul, the principal and most populous 
Mohammedan quarter, and Galata, where the foreign- 
ers live, has been frequently proposed and plans have 
been repeatedly submitted, but no engineer or bridge 
company will undertake the job without a large pay- 
ment in advance, and there is never any money in the 
Sultan's treasury. Several companies have been 
organized to construct bridges, but have never been 
able to obtain permission, and a multitude of pro- 
moters have sought concessions for that purpose from 
time to time, but there is no sign of a permanent 
bridge. The old floats still remain and answer every 
purpose, not only being a means of communication for 
a million people, but landing places for ferry boats, 
pleasure steamers, private yachts and other small craft 
upon the Bosphorus. The caissons are immense rectan- 

107 



io8 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

gular casks of iron sixty by thirty by twenty feet in 
size. They are chained together, with passages 
between so as to give free flow to the water. About 
the middle of the channel there is an arrangement by 
which two of the floats can be detached and brought 
around out of the way so as to allow the passage of 
vessels, but this always was a very slow process and 
interrupted traffic for half an hour or more. Hence a 
regular time is appointed for the passage of vessels, 
and from four to six o'clock every morning the gate- 
way is opened, and those who do not avail themselves 
of that opportunity have to wait twenty-four hours. 
Upon the caissons a frame of timbers sixty feet wide 
has been laid and planked over. Sidewalks for foot 
passengers are reserved, but pedestrians take the 
roadway quite as often, and from six o'clock in the 
morning until nearly midnight the bridge is thronged 
by two endless streams of humanity passing both ways. 
At either entrance are groups of toll collectors wearing 
long white tunics to distinguish them from the rest of 
the public, and they hold out their hands to receive 
the coppers from people who walk and people who 
ride. Everybody has to pay except the high officials 
of the government — usually great, fat pashas, who are 
identified by the livery of their coachmen. The toll is 
about one cent for foot passengers, two cents for 
mounted persons and ten cents for carriages. 

It would take many pages to describe the different 
classes of people that maybe seen upon this wonderful 
bridge, and the catalogue would contain representa- 
tives of every race and religion] under the sun. Their 
costumes afford a very interesting study. Those who 
are familiar with the oriental races can identify them 
readily and tell you where every man comes from. 



SCENES IN CONSTANTINOPLE 



109 



Many of the women are veiled, with long mantles and 
black shawls over their heads. Some of them wear a 
sort of mackintosh belted in, altogether unlovely and 
ungraceful, which is the intention. The idea of wearing 
a veil is to make a woman as hideous as possible, and 
the Turk succeeds in that purpose, if in no other. The 
ladies who are not veiled are either Greeks, Armenians, 
Jewesses or other foreigners. All the women of Con- 
stantinople, except Turkish women, wear European gar- 
ments and ordinary hats. Turkish women of position 
always ride attended by a eunuch or a mounted escort, 
because it is not proper for them to appear alone in a 
public place, even if they are veiled, and the etiquette 
of the country forbids men to accost veiled women. 
If such a thing should be noticed there would be a 
mob in an instant, for every Moslem in sight would 
consider it an insult to his mother, his wife and his 
sister — in fact to all their sex. Few men dare assist a 
veiled woman even if she should stumble, or even pick 
up a package if she should drop one, for fear his 
courtesy should be misconstrued. The first caution 
offered to strangers in Constantinople concerns this 
matter of national etiquette, and it is often wisely 
bestowed. To take no notice whatever of veiled 
women is the safest thing a stranger in Constantinople 
can do. Women who do not wear veils are not 
included in the category, for they are not Mohamme- 
dans and may be treated with ordinary courtesy. 
Some of the Armenian women are beautiful and are 
richly dressed. The Greek women have dark eyes, 
thin lips, and dress with Parisian taste. In certain 
parts of Constantinople very few veiled women are to 
be seen. On the Grand Rue de Pera, the principal 
shopping-place of the European quarter, where most 



no The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

of the tradesmen are French and German, they seldom 
appear. 

Each side of the bridge is lined with peddlers, selling 
all sorts of things and crying their wares in stentorian 
tones, and beggars who crouch under the railing, hold- 
ing out their hands in a piteous manner and appealing 
for baksheesh. The priests of the Mohammedan Church 
wear white wrappings around their fezzes as a badge of 
their profession. Persians wear black fezzes, often 
made of lamb's wool or astrakhan, while the other 
races have different head-dresses. The Greeks wear 
stiffly starched white petticoats of cotton about the 
length of the skirts of a ballet-dancer, with white 
leggings, embroidered vests and jackets with long, 
flowing sleeves. The dervishes wear long black 
caftans or cloaks, which reach to their heels like the 
frock of a Catholic priest. You see all sorts of priests. 
They seem to number next to the soldiers, who consti- 
tute almost one-half of the passengers to be seen upon 
the bridge. 

Many of the carriages and the horses are fine, 
although not equal to those to be seen in St. Peters- 
burg. The mounted officers dash through the crowd 
in the most reckless manner, without regard to the 
lame or the lazy, and the donkey drivers do not seem 
to care whether they run over people or not, although 
they are extremely careful not to injure the mangy 
mongrels that lie around on the bridge, as they do 
everywhere else. Upon the bridge can be bought 
from peddlers almost anything a human being can 
want, because they are constantly passing back and 
forth, offering their wares. The number of peddlers in 
Constantinople is estimated at 75,000. 

The water-front of Constantinople, instead of being 



SCENES IN CONSTANTINOPLE m 

devoted to docks, warehouses and other facilities for 
shipping and commerce, is occupied by the palaces of 
the Sultan and the pashas. There is one short quay 
reserved for the landing and embarkation of goods, 
-not larger than a single pier in Nevir York harbor, or 
the space between two of the bridges over the Chicago 
River, and every article of merchandise that is brought 
into Constantinople or is shipped out of the city, 
including the luggage of passengers, must be handled 
in that narrow space. A little narrow-gauge man- 
power railway track runs along the edge of the water 
and terminates at the custom-house, through which all 
goods must pass. There are no bonded warehouses, 
and imported merchandise must be taken out at once 
upon arrival and the duty paid. 

Upon the graves of the dead in the Turkish ceme- 
teries little vessels of water are placed for the benefit 
of the birds, and some of the marble tombs have basins 
chiseled out for the same purpose, the superstition 
being that birds carry messages about the living to the 
dead, and, like everybody else in Turkey, are sus- 
pected of being spiteful unless something is done to 
win their favor. 

Upon entering a Mohammedan mosque the hat is 
kept on, but the shoes must be taken off, for "the spot 
on which thou standest is holy ground." Hence the 
Turks have their boots made with double bottoms. A 
sort of slip like the new-fashioned rubber sandals fits 
over the toe as far as the instep and the sole of the 
shoe and is held on by a band passing around the heel. 
A little brass point projects at the heel, which is con- 
venient in kicking them off. 

The Turks use beads for conversational purposes as 
well as to count their prayers. The ordinary ritual of 



112 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

the Mohammedan faith requires thirty-six prayers and 
sixteen quotations from the Koran, and the full ritual 
embraces ninety-nine prayers. If a mistake is made it 
is necessary for the worshiper to begin at the beginning 
and go over the whole list again. Hence he is very- 
careful to check off each prayer that he utters and 
each quotation that he repeats. Most of the prayers 
are very short, however, and consist of the same 
meaning expressed in different phrases: "Allah is 
great. I testify that there is no God but Allah, and 
Mohammed is his prophet." 

At several points in Constantinople saddle-horses as 
well as carriages are kept for hire, and they are much 
more convenient for certain parts of the city, where 
the streets are narrow and the grades are steep. The 
owner or the man in charge sends a boy along to bring 
the horse back. 

The number of people who speak English is quite 
remarkable, but all orientals are great linguists. They 
seem to have a faculty for picking up languages that is 
not enjoyed by Anglo-Saxons. 

Turkish rugs are sold by the bale as they enter the 
custom-house, and the purchaser has no opportunity to 
examine them. He must take them as they come — good, 
bad and indifferent, old and new, coarse and fine, per- 
fect and ragged. The week' s arrivals are usually put up 
at auction on Monday morning. The greatest number 
of rugs comes from the interior of Asia and is brought 
down to the ports of the Mediterranean and Black Sea 
by caravans of camels and shipped to Smyrna and 
Constantinople, which are the great markets. They 
are packed so many to the bale by sizes, and if the 
purchaser knows the name of the seller and the place 
from which they have been shipped, it gives him a 



SCENES IN CONSTANTINOPLE 113 

slight basis upon which he can estimate their value; 
but it is always more or less of a lottery and hence the 
rugs bring much less than their actual worth. The 
sellers might make a great deal more money if they 
were not bound by this ancient custom. 

The dogs and the firemen of Constantinople are 
famous, and always excite a great deal of interest 
among tourists. There are two popular errors regard- 
ing the dogs— that they are ferocious and dangerous, 
and that they are the city scavengers and have a 
' contract for cleaning the streets, which last is equally 
false. The dogs are wretched, harmless, cowardly 
curs, which never bite unless abused or driven into a 
corner, and then only in self-defense. They bark con- 
tinually, however, particularly in the night, and new- 
comers will be disturbed in their rest for two or three 
nights until they become accustomed to them. In this 
respect, as in several others, they are great nuisances. 
So far as street cleaning is concerned they undoubt- 
edly contribute more filth and unhealthiness because 
their work as scavengers is limited to rooting and 
scratching around for morsels of food in the offal and 
other debris, and thus they keep it stirred up when 
it would be less offensive if it were let alone. In 
that offal the dogs find their subsistence, and they 
number tens of thousands. Thus their existence is 
precarious. Each street has its own band, which is 
very jealous of intruders, and when you hear a tumul- 
tuous barking you may be sure that some stranger has 
strayed into a section where he does not belong and is 
being evicted. The dogs are ownerless. There may 
be a few high-bred animals kept in the houses by 
private owners, but the great mass of them have no 
home but the street and no owners but the public. 



114 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

They are allowed to live for superstitious reasons. 
The Moslem inhabitants look upon them as a religious 
institution, as the proteges of the prophet, and while 
they do not give them any care they would not injure 
them under any circumstances for fear of bringing mis- 
fortune upon themselves. A Mohammedan hackman 
or cartman would sooner drive around the block than 
run over a dog. He will get down from his box and 
wake up a cur that lies sleeping in the middle of the 
street rather than drive over it, but usually flicks his 
whip gently to remind it that it is in the way. The 
animal, being awakened, yawns and stretches itself in 
an indifferent manner and then slowly moves towards 
the sidewalk. The children are taught to be merciful 
to them and to believe that they are under the special 
protection of the prophet. 

The butchers throw their scraps into the street every 
morning at a certain hour, and the dogs that belong in 
that locality are always on hand to snatch their share 
of the morsels. Bakers cut up stale loaves and toss 
them out in a similar way. Hotel and boarding-house 
keepers are equally thoughtful in putting out their 
garbage cans, but nobody ever offers the dogs shelter or 
attempts to cure them of the mange, with which the 
majority are afflicted. Many of them are repulsive 
sights. They live entirely upon the streets, each dog 
having some shelter of its own during the storms of 
winter, where it leaves its litters of puppies until 
they are old enough to look out for themselves. When 
they die their bodies are left lying in the road or are 
kicked out of the way by pedestrians. They are 
mostly yellow, coarse-haired, wolfish-looking beasts, 
with long tails and pointed ears. The guides say that 
the number is diminishing because the waste places in 



SCENES IN CONSTANTINOPLE 115 

which they formerly basked and bred are being rap- 
idly built over; but other authorities claim that this is 
a mistake and that the number is increasing. A 
stranger would assume that the latter is the case, 
because they seem so numerous and occupy so large a 
part of the narrow sidewalks and streets. It is not safe 
to kick them out of the way because you would be sure 
to disturb a colony of fleas which might take refuge 
upon your own person, even if the cur did not turn 
and snap at you. Old residents will tell you that it is 
not good policy to kick a dog, because some Moslem 
might see the act and resent it. The natives are so 
accustomed to their presence in the streets and to their 
nocturnal barking and howling that they take them as 
a matter of course, like the other nuisances of the city. 

The animals have a high degree of intelligence. 
They know their rights and insist upon them, and the 
manner in which each cur holds and defends his own 
territory is remarkable. The occupants of the same 
street never quarrel with each other, no matter how 
numerous or how hungry they may be, but lie curled 
up in bunches on the street corners in a most affection- 
ate manner. But let a strange animal appear in sight 
and every one is on the alert instantly. There is a 
scurrying of feet, a series of low growls, a rush towards 
the intruder and then a tumult of barking and yelping 
and shrieks of agony from the injured. It may end in 
a dogicide. It usually does. The intruder is not often 
allowed to escape alive and his mangled body will be 
found afterwards in the roadway. 

Abdul Azziz, predecessor of the present Sultan, was 
a great reformer and, among other reforms, proposed 
to exterminate the dogs. Policemen were sent around 
with poisoned meat, which was scattered freely 



Ii6 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

throughout the city, and the next day the streets were 
blocked by dead dogs, which were not removed, but 
their bodies were allowed to lie and fester in the sun. 
Instead of attributing the epidemic to the unquestion- 
able cause, the superstitious Turks construed it as the 
penalty pronounced upon them by the prophet for the 
massacre of the innocent. Since then no further 
attempts have been made to exterminate the curs, 
which have been held more sacred than ever. There 
is a story to account for the presence of the dogs in 
Constantinople. It is said that in the Middle Ages 
their barking awoke the garrison of the city and 
warned it of the approach of an enemy, so that it was 
able to make a successful defense. At that time, the 
legend goes, the reigning Sultan issued an order 
requiring all dogs to be held sacred, as the prophet 
had made them the vehicle of the Divine will. 

Sometimes I think the firemen are more interesting 
than the dogs. Fires are of frequent occurrence, and 
often*^ very destructive, because the greater part of the 
old city is composed of wooden dwellings, which are 
very dry and burn like tinder when a flame is once 
started. Great precautions, from the Turkish point of 
view, are taken to protect them, but they are only 
ludicrous to those who are familiar with modern fire 
departments in our cities. Watchmen keep a lookout 
day and night from three commanding spots which 
overlook the roofs of the entire city — the Galata tower 
in the foreign section; the Serasker tower in Stamboul, 
the Mohammedan city, and another tower upon a 
high hill on the Asiatic side of the Bosphorus. Cannon 
are fired from the last-mentioned place as a warning to 
the public and a notice to the firemen, but at the other 
towers large balls made of bamboo and painted a 



SCENES IN CONSTANTINOPLE 117 

brilliant red are hung out in the daytime, and a red bal- 
loon at night with a number of flags of different 
designs, like signals from a ship, which indicate to the 
firemen the section of the city in which their services 
are needed. 

Upon these towers watchmen with telescopes are 
always on guard, walking around the balcony and 
carefully inspecting every roof within the limits of 
their vision. When a suspicious sign is discovered 
there is a consultation, and, if it appears to be a fire, 
half-naked runners are started to give an alarm 
through the streets and the signals are hung out. The 
runners yell at the top of their voices the locality 
where the fire has been discovered. The firemen, who 
are in waiting at their various headquarters, strip 
themselves to a shirt and a pair of drawers, seize hand 
engines, which are carried upon their shoulders, and 
start at full tilt for the point of danger. They are 
spurred to a high rate of speed because of rivalry 
between the different organizations. The first to 
arrive is apt to get the job of extinguishing the confla- 
gration, but as they receive no pay from the govern- 
ment, the owner of the house must bargain with them 
and make the best terms possible before they will do 
anything to save his house. Usually the neighbors, 
whose property is also in danger, are required to con- 
tribute baksheesh before the pumping begins. 

The engine is a small affair, which can easily be 
carried upon the shoulders of four men running at a 
high rate of speed. Others carry the hose, while the 
nozzle is handled like the baton of a drum-major by 
the captain of the company, who leads the group of 
runners through the streets crying "Yangin varJ" in 
brazen tones. A company on its way to a fire is a 



Ii8 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

novel sight, and everybody rushes out to join in the 
excitement. When the scene is reached the confusion 
is even greater. Men, women and children plunge 
into the burning building to seize and save or steal 
whatever can be reached. The police usually stand 
by and watch the spectacle with admirable composure. 
They never think of interfering, because their religion 
teaches them that misfortunes of all kinds are penalties 
imposed by the prophet to punish sins, and hence the 
houses of none but wicked people ever catch fire. 

Pigeons are sacred in Constantinople. No true 
Moslem will kill a pigeon, and in certain parts of the 
city they are found by the millions. One of the most 
sacred temples is called the Pigeon Mosque, because of 
the number of birds that live there. They are so 
numerous that the air is often dark with them. Rich 
people leave legacies to pay for their food. At all of 
the mosques peddlers are found who sell corn for the 
faithful to offer to the birds, and it is regarded as a 
religious sacrifice. The superstition against killing 
pigeons is based upon the belief that the Holy Ghost 
inhabits the body of a pigeon, and none can be put to 
death without a fear of sacrificing the right one. The 
pigeons at the Bayezidiyeh, or Pigeon Mosque, which 
was built in 1497 by Sultan Bayezid, are said to be the 
offspring of a pair bought by him from a poor woman 
in the market near by and presented to the priests of 
the mosque. These pigeons are under the special pro- 
tection of several priests, who feed them regularly, and 
every Friday at eight o'clock in the morning distribute 
food to the dogs that live in that quarter. The scene 
is very noisy and exciting. The dogs know the dates 
and appear promptly upon the appointed morning 
every week, but woe to the stranger cur that attempts 



SCENES IN CONSTANTINOPLE 119 

to sneak in for a share. He is disposed of without 
mercy, for the legitimate tenants of the district know 
each other as accurately as if each had been furnished 
with a copy of a census. This food is distributed in 
obedience to a legacy left by a Turkish tailor, who died 
sixty or seventy years ago with a provision in his will 
for feeding the dogs on Friday, which is the Moham- 
medan Sabbath. Beggars, hungry, ragged and dis- 
eased, often appear when the dogs are fed and try to 
snatch morsels of meat from them if possible, but it 
takes a great deal of courage to do so. The uproar is 
tremendous. For half a mile around the barking and 
yelping can be heard, but the inhabitants of the 
neighborhood are accustomed to it. 

At the mosque of St. Andrew, Constantinople, which 
is in charge of the dervishes, hangs an iron chain which 
is said to have the power of detecting deceit and dis- 
honesty, and believers who are accused of theft or 
falsehood often demand the right to be tried by that 
test, which is usually accorded them. If they are 
guilty it is indicated by the vibration of the iron. If 
they are innocent the chain remains at rest. A curious 
story is told of a Jewish debtor who falsely claimed to 
have paid his obligations and demanded to be tried by 
the chain. Before taking his station he asked his 
creditor to hold his cane, and handed him a hollow 
staff, in which was concealed the exact amount of 
money that he owed him. The chain, recognizing that 
the money had been passed, declared him innocent — 
which showed that it is influenced by technicalities like 
many other courts. 

There are in Constantinople one hundred and eighty 
khans — immense stone barracks of two stories covering 
entire blocks and inclosing square courts which are 



120 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

usually ornamented with trees and fountains. These 
khans are all very ancient, the oldest having been 
erected in the time of Constantine and still being used. 
They are intended for the entertainment and accom- 
modation of traveling merchants, who are provided by 
the government with lodging and sample-rooms in 
which to display their wares. Each khan is in charge 
of a steward, who is the master of everything under its 
roof, the representative of the Sultan and the govern- 
ment, and the superintendent of a gang of workmen 
who are employed about the place. A merchant from 
Persia, Russia, Turkestan or any other part of the earth, 
having goods for sale, may apply to the steward, and, if 
an apartment is vacant, is furnished with one or more 
rooms in which he can sleep and live and receive his 
customers for a certain length of time without paying 
rent. If there is no demand for quarters he may retain 
the rooms indefinitely. Attached to each khan are 
restaurants and eating-houses at which the occupants 
may live, but many of them prefer to cook their own 
meals. Some bring servants with them. The khans 
are the scenes of constant bustle, dealers in all kinds 
of merchandise continually passing in and out, and 
although most of them are dark, damp and uncomfort- 
able, they have contributed a great deal to the com- 
mercial importance and activity of the city. Men 
from the country who are in the habit of trading in 
Constantinople always go to the same khan, where 
they are known and expected, just as we have our 
favorite hotels in the cities we are accustomed to visit. 
But the khans are open to all merchants, of whatever 
quality, condition, country or religion. 

The tradesmen and artisans of Constantinople still 
maintain guilds, which prevailed elsewhere throughout 



SCENES IN CONSTANTINOPLE 121 

Europe for centuries until modern methods of com- 
merce and industry caused them to dissolve by making 
them unnecessary. The primitive condition of affairs 
in Constantinople, however, makes them of supreme 
importance, and they are maintained with the greatest 
energy and exactness. There were formerly about six 
hundred different guilds, but by consolidation the 
number has been reduced to two hundred and seventy- 
five, which are registered at the office of the minister 
of the interior and represent a membership of two hun- 
dred thousand. They are managed very much like the 
trades unions of the United States, and no artisan, 
mechanic or skilled workman can obtain employment 
in Constantinople without carrying a card of member- 
ship in some guild. The workmen are graded accord- 
ing to their ability and accomplishments, an idea which 
it seems to me could be adopted with advantage by the 
labor unions of the United States, which recognize no 
difference between skill and incompetence, and demand 
the same wages for every man regardless of his power 
of production. 

The Turkish guilds are governed by a president and 
council, and their funds are derived from the revenues 
of property owned and fixed contributions, which are 
chiefly expended in charity, in assistance to sick 
brethren and to the widows and orphans of deceased 
members. The discipline is good, the organizations 
are thorough and extensive, and the public have long 
since adapted themselves to their conditions. The 
butchers' guild is said to be the richest, and owns 
several million dollars' worth of property; the bakers 
and carpenters are the most numerous. The subdi- 
vision of trades is amusing. There is a guild of the 
makers of straw-seated stools, who at some time or 



122 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

another seceded from the guild of the makers of 
straw-seated chairs and organized independently. 
There is one guild for barbers who have shops, and a 
separate guild for barbers who go out to serve custom- 
ers at their homes or places of business and work upon 
the public streets. These are the most numerous of the 
barber guilds, because it is the fashion for men to be 
shaved at their coffee-houses or their homes or offices, 
and itinerant barbers go about like bootblacks in our 
cities. Each guild has a patron, usually some notable 
scriptural patriarch, but I have not been able to ascer- 
tain how this happens. Adam is the patron of the 
bakers; Eve of the women who work in the Turkish 
baths; Abel is the patron of the shepherds; Cain of 
the grave-diggers; Enoch of the inkstand-makers; 
Noah of the shipwrights, which is perfectly natural 
and proper, and Elijah of the tailors who make fur 
coats. 

The most interesting places in Constantinople are 
the bazaars of Stamboul, and they are peculiarly 
Turkish. They cover entire blocks, divided up into 
sections by narrow streets or corridors, vaulted over so 
as to protect from the weather the little booths or 
shops which line them on both sides. These shops 
consist of a single room, perhaps fifteen by twenty 
feet in size, seldom larger, without windows or doors. 
At night the front is closed with heavy wooden 
shutters held by iron bars. Around the walls of the 
interior are shelves upon which the stock of the 
merchant is stored, and it is very limited, scarcely 
more than samples of many articles in the same line of 
trade. One dealer will have nothing but silk shawls, 
another nothing but calico prints, a third nothing but 
fezzes. The business is all divided and dealers in the 



SCENES IN CONSTANTINOPLE 123 

same line of goods occupy the same quarter and sit 
cross-legged in their shops waiting for customers. 
Several hundred merchants are found in each of the 
bazaars, who pay a small rental to the government and 
are under the control of a superintendent appointed by 
the minister of the interior, who is supposed to keep 
the alleys clean and preserve order. Ladies of wealth 
seldom go into the bazaars to trade. Articles which 
they wish to purchase are sent to their homes. 

There are miles and miles of these little shops, 
through which one may walk for hours without 
crossing his own path, glittering with diamonds and 
other precious stones, ivory an,d mother-of-pearl, 
costly perfumes, marvelous carvings in ebony and 
other cabinet woods, embroidered slippers and jackets, 
jeweled pipes, necklaces, rare brocades, furs and 
leather, Persian and Indian shawls, Damascus silks, 
Bokhara table covers, hammered brass and copper, 
metal pots and vases covered with inscriptions, porce- 
lain of all kinds, and an infinite variety of articles new 
and old. There is no fixed price for any article, and a 
dealer would be disappointed if you purchased at the 
first figure demanded, because it would prevent him 
from showing his ability at negotiation. Residents 
tell you that you must not pay more than half the price 
asked, and must dicker until the merchant comes down 
to your figure. If he does not do so you must walk 
away, when he will certainly follow you and tell you 
that you may have it at your own price. 

There are second-hand dealers in some of the bazaars, 
and during the month of Ramazan, the Mohammedan 
Lent, the Turks, who live from hand to mouth, are so 
much in need of money that they sell their most 
precious possessions, and careful buyers can pick up 



124 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

wonderful bargains among the second-hand dealers. 
The ladies of the harems are especially anxious to 
obtain money at this season to celebrate the approach- 
ing feast of Bairam, which corresponds to our Easter, 
when everybody is supposed to appear in a new dress. 
When they cannot obtain the money from their hus- 
bands they send their servants to the bazaars with 
jewelry, embroideries, rugs, silver plate and other 
articles of value, which are sold for almost anything 
they will bring. On Friday the Turkish stalls in the 
bazaars are closed, on Saturday all the Jewish stalls, 
and on Sunday those of the Christians, the Armenians 
and Greeks. 

A certain portion of the bazaars is given up to 
auction sales, which are very noisy and confusing. It 
is often impossible for a newcomer to understand what 
is going on, because the buyers are not contented with 
shouting their bids once, but keep up an exchange of 
repartee with the auctioneer as loud as they can yell, 
which reriiinds you of the Board of Trade in Chicago. 
Sometimes in the middle of an auction the hour of 
prayer will arrive, and the faithful Moslem, who imi- 
tates the Pharisees of the Saviour's time, never 
neglects his devotions. He will kneel down in the 
auction-room, in the street or in any other place when 
he hears the muezzin's voice, and go through his 
prayers without regard to publicity. 

A friend tells an interesting story about an auction 
he attended not long ago, in which an English lady 
was bidding for some rugs. There was a little hush in 
the confusion, of which she took advantage to ask the 
auctioneer whether her bid was standing or not. 
"Yes," he replied, "yours was the last bid, and I shall 
knock the carpet down to you in a few moments unless 



SCENES IN CONSTANTINOPLE 125 

that Moslem who is now saying his prayers offers 
more." As Moslem prayers take a long time, the 
other bidders became impatient and urged the auc- 
tioneer to go on. The praying buyer, however, heard 
the conversation and clutched hold of the rug, but 
went on bowing his head to the ground and muttering 
his prayers faster than ever. When he finished he put 
in another bid, and the carpet was knocked down to 
him. 



VII 

MOSQUES AND PALACES 

St. Sophia is one of the great churches of the world, 
ranking next to St. Peter's at Rome in magnitude, 
majesty and beauty. Three churches of the same 
name have stood upon the site of this celebrated sanc- 
tuary. The first was built by Constantine the Great, 
completed by his son and successor, Constantius, and 
dedicated with great pomp on the 15th of February, 
316 A. D. The second, which rose upon the ashes of 
the first, was built by the Emperor Theodosius and 
dedicated in 415. It was burned during the sedition in 
532, and the present edifice was erected by Justinian 
the Great, after five years and ten months of labor, 
and was dedicated on Christmas day of the year 537. 
Constantinople was then the center of the world and 
the headquarters of the Christian Church, and it was 
the ambition of that great emperor to embody in this 
building an expression of his adoration for and devo- 
tion to the omniscient and the omnipotent God, to 
place before the world a symbol combining all things 
beautiful, all art — then rescued from paganism — all 
riches, all human thought and skill as a tribute to the 
Creator. Justinian sought architects, artists, decora- 
tors and workmen in every land, and his biographers 
say that his authority enabled him to choose the most 
competent and skillful of all mankind to execute the 
noblest of human enterprises. 

The entire world contributed material. As was the 
custom in those days, the pagan temples were stripped 
of their treasures to adorn the sanctuary of the true 

126 



MOSQUES AND PALACES 127 

God. The shrines of Isis and Osiris were despoiled to 
do it honor; the temple of the Sun at Baalbek, of 
Diana at Ephesus, of Minerva at Athens, of Phoebus 
at Delos and of Cybele at Cyzicus were robbed of their 
pillars and columns and adornments of marble and 
gold. Solomon's temple at Jerusalem was searched 
for architectural glories, and every quarry in the civil- 
ized world was seized and made to contribute. The 
wonderful columns of dark green marble which support 
the galleries came from the temple of Diana at Ephe- 
sus, eight columns of dark red porphyry came from 
the temple of the Sun at Baalbek, other columns under 
the galleries were formerly in the temples and the 
palaces of the Caesars at Rome. The walls of St. 
Sophia showed the finest specimens of material and 
handicraft in existence, and the magnificence and 
variety surpassed all other structures. Every species 
of marble, granite and porphyry that was considered of 
any value in the known world is said to have been rep- 
resented in the construction, and the decorations were 
of corresponding magnificence. 

The altar was more costly than gold, for it was com- 
posed of a variety of precious materials imbedded 
together in gold and silver and incrusted with pearls 
and jewels, and its cavity, which was called the sea, 
was set with diamonds, rubies and other costly stones. 
Above the altar was a tabernacle upon which rested a 
golden cupola and a golden cross weighing seventy-five 
pounds, which, it is said, was so thickly veneered with 
diamonds and other jewels that the gold could not be 
seen. The seats of the priests and the throne of the 
patriarchs, arranged in a semicircle behind the altar, 
were of solid silver. The doors of the temple were of 
ivory, electrum and silver. 



128 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

We do not know the cost of this wonderful edifice, 
except that it weighed heavily upon all classes of the 
community, for every soul within the dominions of the 
emperor, which then comprised the civilized world, 
was compelled to contribute. Finally, as it approached 
completion, Justinian, who stood by, clad in a cotton 
tunic, to encourage the hundred thousand workmen, 
stretched out his arms to Heaven and exclaimed: 

"Solomon, I have surpassed thee. God be thanked, 
who has esteemed me worthy to complete this work." 

And he dedicated it to Divine Wisdom. 

The Archangel Michael is said to have been the 
architect, and revealed the designs to Justinian in a 
dream. Celestial visitors frequently descended to 
inspect the progress of the work, and, according to 
the legends of the time, it could not have been accom- 
plished without them. When the building was 
approaching completion Justinian ran short of money, 
whereupon an angel appeared, and, leading the mules 
of the treasury into a subterranean vault, loaded them 
with eight thousand pounds of miraculous gold, which 
relieved the situation. When a dispute arose between 
the emperor and the architects as to how the light 
should fall upon the altar, the angel appeared again and 
instructed them to arrange a corona, or circle of win- 
dows, and dedicate three of them to the Father, the 
Son and the Holy Ghost. 

It is claimed that the dome was the first of^the kind 
ever erected, but that is a misrepresentation, for the 
Pantheon at Rome was built many years before. The 
dome rises over the center of the church to a height of 
one hundred and seventy-nine feet and is one hundred 
and seven feet in diameter. The dome of the Pantheon 
is one hundred and thirty feet, those of St. Peter's at 



MOSQUES AND PALACES 129 

Rome and Santa Maria at Florence are each one 
hundred and twenty-six feet, and that of St. Paul's at 
London one hundred and eight feet. The interior of 
St. Sophia is oval in shape, the greatest length being 
two hundred and fifty feet and the narrowest one 
hundred feet, with aisles and recesses of eighty feet on 
either side, making the entire width from wall to wall 
two hundred and sixty feet. There are one hundred 
and seven columns, forty supporting the galleries and 
seventy-four the dome. One hundred architects were 
employed as superintendents, under each of whom 
were a thousand men, including masons, carpenters, 
laborers, decorators and others. 

Externally the building is very ugly — a mass of irreg- 
ular blank walls and domes painted a hideous yellow 
with black stripes, reminding one of a convict's garb. 
But the interior is majestic in its beauty, and, accord- 
ing to a famous architectural authority, "is the most 
perfect and the most beautiful church ever erected by 
any Christian people." The chief charm of the 
interior is its massive simplicity and perfect propor- 
tions. It is almost entirely without ornamentation, 
except the mosaic work upon the walls and ceiling. 
All the fiat surfaces are covered with mosaic laid upon 
gold. Compared with St. Peter's at Rome it is as 
empty as a barn. There are no tombs, no statues, no 
altars, nothing to obstruct the view in any direction; 
nothing to conceal the graceful outlines of the arches 
and the simple coloring of the walls, which is a soft 
yellow, nearly as deep as an orange and traced with 
different dark shades of green. I heard a young Amer- 
ican critic remark that there was "nothing to see 
in St. Sophia," which is almost strictly true, in com- 
parison with the other great churches with which we 



I30 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

are familiar. There is a beautiful balcony for the 
Sultan to occupy in case he should come to St. Sophia 
to worship, and he would be sheltered by gilded 
screens. The mihrab, which corresponds to the altar 
in Roman Catholic churches and indicates the direction 
of Mecca, towards which Moslems turn in prayer, is a 
simple recess unadorned, and near by is the mimber^ 
or pulpit. In St. Sophia, as in all mosques which 
have been secured to Islam by the power of arms, the 
preacher still mounts the pulpit with sword in hand and 
hangs out a flag as a symbol of victory and conquest. 

The floor of the entire mosque is covered with 
Turkish rugs of the richest texture, and at intervals of 
six or eight feet wooden troughs made of undressed 
lumber stretch across the entire area. These are for 
the convenience of worshipers and for the promotion 
of neatness, and when one selects a place to kneel and 
pray he drops his shoes into a trough. The rugs are 
divided into sections, plainly marked, so that the 
faithful cannot have any excuse for crowding each 
other. At two large fountains they can perform their 
ablutions before beginning their prayers, and above 
them is the sensible admonition: "Wash thy sins and 
not thy face only." 

Nine gates lead into the temple. Over the central 
one, by which the emperor entered, is painted an open 
book on a reading desk, surmounted by a dove with 
outstretched wings. Upon the pages of the book are 
the words: "I am the door of the sheep. By me if 
any man enter in he shall be saved, and go in and out 
and find pasture." In the tympanum above is a 
mosaic, also dating back to Christian times, represent- 
ing Christ upon the throne, with the words: "Peace be 
unto you. I am the light of the world." 



MOSQUES AND PALACES 131 

The Mohammedans have retained most of the orna- 
mentation of the Christians, and even here and there a 
cross is permitted to remain, although most of them 
were chiseled off centuries ago. There are also 
several relics of Christ which they refuse to return to 
the Christians. The most interesting is a cradle of red 
marble, said to have been used by Jesus, and a basin 
in which He is said to have been washed. 

St. Sophia for fifteen hundred years has been the 
theater of some of the greatest and most solemn cere- 
monies in history, and was particularly associated with 
the Crusades. On one of the piers in the nave is the 
mark resembling the imprint of a bloody hand, said to 
have been made by Mohammed II. as his war charger 
stood upon the bodies of Christian corpses on the day 
of the capture of Constantinople by the Turks. 

All around the mosques are tombs, schools, baths, 
fountains, shops for the sale of chaplets and other 
religious articles, hospices for pilgrims, kitchens for 
the poor and a theological seminary with several thou- 
sand students. 

The Sultan has many palaces, all of them con- 
structed by his predecessors. He has built none him- 
self, although he altered the Yildiz Kiosk, in which he 
lives in seclusion, and modernized it a good deal. 
Most of his palaces are occupied by his seven brothers 
and sisters, his three married children, and other rela- 
tives. Only two of the palaces are ever seen by 
strangers, and those can be entered only with a permit 
from the Sultan himself, to whom application must be 
made with the endorsement of your ambassador. 
Dolma-Baghtcheh Palace, an enormous mass of glitter- 
ing marble, with gorgeous gates and a pretty garden 
around it, stands not far from the city on the European 



132 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

side, and Beyler-Bey,on the Asiatic shore. If exquisitely- 
carved marble, carved wood and gilding, mosaics and 
mirrors, crystal chandeliers and gorgeous frescoes, 
priceless rugs, tapestries, gilded furniture and divans 
upholstered in costly damask, all in a prodigality from 
which taste is excluded, constitute an ideal palace, 
Beyler-Bey excels. 

At a distance the exterior, shown against the wood- 
lands and the grassy plateaus of the Asiatic shore, 
makes an exceedingly pretty picture, and Dolma- 
Baghtcheh as .a mass is imposing. When you come to 
examine the details you wonder without admiration at 
the lace-work doors, the massive gilt columns, the 
barbaric domes and the Saracenic arches and a crystal 
staircase, which must have cost an enormous sum of 
money. Everything about the place is of the most 
costly material. The bath and toilet-room connected 
with the Sultan's apartments, which is shown with 
great pride, is lined with slabs of alabaster — floor, walls 
and ceiling — and the tub is of the same material. 
There are wash-basins in nearly all the reception- 
rooms made of onyx and alabaster, which we were told 
were necessary to take the place of finger-bowls after 
the people of the court ate sweets. Both the Dolma- 
Baghtcheh and the Beyler-Bey palaces are mixtures of 
Moorish, Arabic, Turkish and French architecture and 
decoration, but the big ballroom, where the Sultans 
formerly held receptions, is pure French. 

We asked the handsome young aide-de-camp, who 
was detailed by His Imperial Majesty to conduct us 
through the palaces, how a ball-room was used in a 
country where gentlemen were not permitted to meet 
ladies. He explained that in the harems the ladies 
often danced among themselves for the entertainment 



MOSQUES AND PALACES 133 

of their husbands, although the latter never danced 
with them, but a ball-room was considered a necessary 
feature of a palace, and this one had been used on 
several occasions years ago. The young colonel 
showed us through the picture gallery also, where 
there is a collection of paintings made by the late 
Sultan Abdul Aziz, who evidently knew very little 
about art. His taste seemed to run to nude women, 
horses, and battle pictures in which Turkish legions 
were trampling down their enemies. There were 
several portraits of Sultans also, notwithstanding the 
popular impression that the Mohammedan religion 
forbids the reproduction of the human face and figure. 
People who have read fanciful descriptions of Con- 
stantinople, penned by poets, artists and other senti- 
mentalists like D'Amici, for example, who are apt to 
see more than appears to ordinary eyes, have an 
impression that the Seraglio of the Sultan is a palace 
of mysterious seclusion; that it has something to do 
with the harem and other private affairs of His Imperial 
Majesty. I supposed so until I came to Constanti- 
nople, but it is nothing of the sort. Literally, a 
seraglio means a portico or vestibule surrounding any 
habitation, palace, kiosk or mosque, but the term is 
commonly used as a collective noun, and refers to a 
collection of buildings used for different purposes, 
such as the residence of a pasha, his harem, his offices, 
his stables and the mosque that is attached to all of 
the large establishments in Turkey. The Seraglio of 
the Sultan is a large collection of buildings inclosed by 
a mighty wall, covering the extreme point of the 
peninsula upon which Stamboul stands, and dividing the 
Sea of Marmora from the Golden Horn. In its geo- 
graphical association it corresponds to Battery Park, 



134 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

New York, and is the most conspicuous object one 
sees upon approaching the city and the last upon 
which the eye rests when departing. It is also the 
most interesting spot in all Turkey from a historical 
standpoint. There is no place in the East except the 
Holy Land which has so many associations. It is to 
Constantinople what the Kremlin is to Moscow, the 
Escurial to Madrid, Potsdam to Berlin, Versailles to 
Paris, and perhaps we may compare it to Hampton 
Court near London. 

The garden of the Seraglio was the Acropolis of the 
original city, the site of the Palatium sacrum of Con- 
stantine, the citadel of his successors, the palace 
of Justinian and Placidia, queen of the Goths. Few 
spots on earth have had a longer or more tragic 
history. From the gardens of the Seraglio sailed the 
fleets of the Phoenicians, the war barges of the 
Romans, the triremes from Asia, the galleys of Darius 
the Persian, of Xerxes, of Alexander the Great, Philip 
of Macedon, and I would not be surprised if Agamem- 
non, Ajax, Achilles and those bold old warriors had 
landed there many a time. The gilded barges of 
Venice and Genoa brought their soldiers there and 
from that landing-place carried away millions of plun- 
der. The feet of the Crusaders trod the gravel walks 
— Richard the Lion-Hearted, Godfrey de Bouillon, 
and the Frank emperors made it their headquarters in 
the time of the Crusades. Since the occupation of 
Constantinople by the Turks, the resplendent caiques 
of the Sultans have come and gone, some of them 
bearing candidates for uneasy thrones, and others, 
desperate creatures, seeking refuge from a miserable 
death. 

From the time of Mohammed II., who took Con- 



MOSQUES AND PALACES 135 

stantinople by storm in 1453, to Abdul Medjid, in 1864, 
who deserted it for the more cheerful palace of the 
Dolma-Baghtcheh on the banks of the Bosphorus, 
twenty-two Sultans have been imprisoned or murdered, 
or died by violence within the palaces of the Seraglio. 
For four hundred years the fate of the sovereigns of 
Turkey was subject to the caprice of the all-powerful 
Janizaries, who made it their headquarters. Up to the 
beginning of the last century it was the fashion for the 
Janizaries to decapitate unpopular Sultans and minis- 
ters and expose their heads upon the pillars of the 
gate in order that the public might know what had 
happened. Two niches on either side of the Sublime 
Porte, which is the main gateway to the Seraglio, were 
made for that purpose. Sometimes, however, as a 
special mark of vengeance or honor, the heads were 
placed, like that of John the Baptist, upon a silver 
charger and left outside where the public could examine 
them closely. 

Over the Sublime Porte, a stately arch with pon- 
derous gates, is an Arabic inscription reading: "May 
Allah ever preserve the glory of the possessor; may 
Allah ever strengthen his foundations." 

In the first large court, known as the Court of the 
Janizaries, is an enormous tree called by their name, 
under which they were in the habit of hatching their 
conspiracies. It is said to be the largest tree in 
Europe, and two stunted columns under its far-spread- 
ing branches once served as a guillotine. There are 
many buildings within the walls in addition to the 
palaces, the harem, the barracks of the soldiers"^ and' 
those used for official purposes. The mint is there, 
the arsenal, magazines for the storage of explosives, a 
hospital, the imperial stables, quarters for an army of 



136 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

slaves, several pleasure kiosks and a mosque. The 
Greek church of St. Irene, erected by Constantine the 
Great, which was converted into an armory instead of 
a mosque, is a venerable monument of the Byzantine 
style of architecture. In the museum of the armory is 
the scimiter used^by Mohammed 11. in the siege of 
Constantinople, the sword of Scanderbeg, the armor 
of Tamerlane and the porphyry tombs of Constantine, 
Theodosius, Julian the Apostate and other early Greek 
emperors. 

The Chirkau Scherif, or Hall of the Holy Garment, 
is the most sacred place in Turkey, for it shelters the 
mantle of the Prophet Mohammed, his staff, his saber, 
his standard, and, among other relics, two hairs from 
his venerable beard, which are inclosed in a casket of 
gold. The sacred mantle is a long brown robe of 
camel' s-hair, made in the same shape and style and 
resembling in appearance those worn by Persian 
priests. It is inclosed in a frame and covered with 
cloth-of-gold for protection, with little slits cut in the 
covering in order that the threads may be seen. The 
standard of Islam is a green flag or banner, about two 
feet square, of the finest silk, embroidered with an 
inscription similar to those seen in all the Mohamme- 
dan churches, declaring that "there is no God 
but Allah and Mohammed is his prophet." This 
standard is said to have been carried by Mohammed 
himself and has ever since been the most significant 
and sacred egis of the Moslem world, the symbol of el 
jihad, or call to a religious war, when borne publicly 
by the Sultan in the mosque of St. Sophia. 

There are many other interesting buildings in the 
Seraglio, some of them famous for their decorations 
and the carved marble used in their construction. 



MOSQUES AND PALACES 137 

Others are gloomy-looking storehouses for archives 
and wardrobes for the robes of state — once carefully- 
kept by black eunuchs, now all more or less dilapidated 
and abandoned. The kitchens cover a large area and 
are roofed with domes perforated to let out the smoke 
instead of having the ordinary chimney, and in the 
olden days it is said that 40,000 oxen was the yearly 
complement, with a corresponding number of sheep, 
goats, calves, capons, geese, ducks, pigeons and other 
supplies. 

In August, 1863, several of the ancient buildings 
were destroyed and damaged by fire, and nowadays the 
most of them are yellow and dingy, sadly in need of 
paint and restoration. There is everywhere a look of 
neglect. Most of the Seraglio is vacant except for the 
custodians and guards, and everywhere there is a 
pathetic squalor. " 

The most beautiful of all the buildings, the famous 
oriental kiosk known as Tschinili, or the mosque of 
porcelain, built by the conqueror Mohammed in imita- 
tion of one he saw at Bagdad, remains in an excellent 
state of preservation, for which we are duly grateful, 
and its portico, with graceful pillars elaborately carved 
in the most delicate lace-work, its dome starred with 
gilt coruscations, and lined from ceiling to floor with 
beautiful blue Persian tiles, look as bright and new as 
they did on the day they were made. The doors are 
of bronze, the woodwork is set with mother-of-pearl 
and the rugs and hangings are of the finest silk. It is 
altogether the prettiest thing in Constantinople. 

Across the court, however, is what, we came to see, — 
the treasury of the Ottoman Empire, or, as it used to 
be known, the Green Vaults of Constantine. Here is 
a display of barbaric splendor and a collection of 



138 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

treasure and baubles which no Turk is ever allowed to 
look upon except the Aghas and eunuchs who are 
intrusted with its protection, and even they are spies 
upon each other. No one can enter this building 
without an order signed by Abrahim Pasha, private 
secretary to His Majesty. Applications by strangers 
must be made to the Sultan personally through the 
ambassador of their country, and he requires several 
days to consider before granting a permit. Perhaps 
he makes inquiries as to the character of the applicant, 
because he is exceedingly jealous of his treasures and 
always apprehensive lest they should be seen by some 
person who may make trouble about them. 

No resident of Constantinople except the families 
of the diplomatic corps, no Turk and no person who 
understands the Turkish language can be admitted, 
for fear they might give information concerning the 
millions of dollars' worth of precious stones and other 
valuables which would tempt robbers or cause discon- 
tent among the poverty-stricken people. When the 
Sultan tells suppliants that he has no money they 
might ask him to sell some of the diamonds and pearls 
and emeralds or melt up some of the gold in his treas- 
ury. Very few Turks know what is there. Few 
members of the Sultan's household have ever seen the 
collection. Most of them are gifts, heirlooms and 
trophies of war. Many have been handed down by 
twenty-eight generations of Sultans, and it is claimed 
that the collection has never been disturbed; but that 
is an exaggeration. No matter how hard-pressed the 
Sultan may be for money he would not sell any of his 
treasures, but sometimes he has taken out some trifle 
for a gift — a jewel or an ornament; something that 
would not be missed. 



MOSQUES AND PALACES 139 

There is no such useless wealth in all the world 
except in the Kremlin at Moscow. That looks larger 
because it occupies more space and is better arranged 
for display. The Sultan's treasures are crowded into 
two little rooms, arranged without any taste or plan of 
installation, and the loose and unset jewels, seals and 
other articles of adornment are kept in big salad-bowls 
that will hold a couple of gallons. There are five 
bowls full of diamonds, rubies, emeralds, turquoise and 
other unset precious stones, perhaps a half bushel alto- 
gether, and a large tray about twelve by fifteen inches 
in size covered with beautiful unmounted pearls. 
One of the emeralds weighs two kilograms and another 
is almost of the same size. They are said to be the 
largest emeralds in the world. 

The most gorgeous and overpowering spectacle in 
the collection is a throne said to be of solid gold set, 
mosaic-like, with uncut rubies, emeralds and pearls, 
which formerly belonged to the Shah of Persia, and was 
captured and brought to Constantinople as the spoil of 
war by Sultan Selim I, in 1502. There are scepters, 
armor, sabers, scimiters, pistols, saddles and other 
equestrian equipments, walking-sticks, sandals and 
other articles, some of them imbedded in jewels. A 
toilet table of ordinary size is veneered with diamonds, 
while the wash-bowl, pitcher and other toilet articles 
are set thickly with the most beautiful turquoise. 
There are cups of onyx, crystal and jade; stirrups, 
bridles and other horse-furniture of gold, and in the 
corner of a little case is a two-quart bowl filled with 
diamond buttons, which some time or another fastened 
the garments of some extravagant sultan. Arranged 
around the wall are effigies of a dozen or more of the 
great sultans in their richest robes of state and wearing 



140 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

their favorite jewels. If those effigies could be stripped 
of their ornaments they alone would make a display of 
the jeweler's art that would be worth exhibition. 
There is no catalogue, and I was prohibited from 
taking notes. Newspaper men are never knowingly 
admitted, lest they should publish descriptions of the 
riches of the treasury and give the Sultan hysterics. 

The ceremony of opening the doors was quite inter- 
esting. There are two sets of keys for everything, and 
they are held by two custodians who have nothing to 
do with each other and are supposed to be enemies. 
Each has a guard of twenty-four men, who live apart 
and are forbidden to associate with each other or have 
any more than the strictest official communication. 
Representatives of each of these squads are on duty at 
all times and are expected to act as spies on each 
other. They are peculiar-looking people and wear a 
queer livery — a high-buttoned coat of black broadcloth 
like an Episcopal clergyman, with a red fez. 

Our card of invitation fixed our reception at 11:30 
a.m. We arrived a little before that hour, to find 
that the custodians had anticipated us and had drawn 
up their guards in two lines facing each other. One of 
the chiefs then went forward and unlocked his share of 
the fastenings. Then the other came forward and used 
his keys. Each was accompanied by at least twelve 
men, and under the regulations could not turn a bolt 
until they all were present. If anyone had been 
absent we would have been compelled to wait for him 
or come another day. And every one of these guards 
expected a liberal fee. The cost of looking at the 
Sultan's treasures amounted to 1^35. After the inspec- 
tion we were invited to a pavilion where coffee, sweets 
and cigarettes were served with great formality. 



MOSQUES AND PALACES 141 

While we were there an accident happened. Our 
courier, in reply to an inquiry, unintentionally dropped 
a few words of Turkish, and there was great excite- 
ment. One of the officials took him aside and put him 
through a close examination, but finally accepted his 
explanation that he was not a Turk nor a resident of 
Turkey, and was not familiar with the language, but 
had learned a few words during the recent war with 
Greece, when he had served as a dragoman for an 
English newspaper correspondent. 



VIII 

ROBERT COLLEGE AND THE MISSIONARIES 

Upon the summit of a bold promontory, overlooking 
the Bosphorus, almost midway between, the Black Sea 
and the Sea of Marmora, one hour's ride by boat from 
Constantinople, stands a monument. No man could 
need or wish a nobler one. It is called Robert College, 
and was erected about forty years ago by a New 
York merchant, Christopher R. Robert, who was inter- 
ested in Turkish trade. It has an appropriate place. 
A lighthouse should always stand were it can see and 
be seen, and Robert College has done more to 
enlighten the East than any other agency. Little pas- 
senger boats, like those upon the Thames in London 
and upon the Seine in Paris, run regularly or rather 
irregularly, up and down the Bosphorus, touching the 
many little suburban settlements along its shores. At 
Bebek, a pretty town much frequented by European 
residents of Constantinople, is a Protestant church, 
where formerly stood a temple to Artemis Dictynna. 
After the Turks obtained possession palaces were laid 
out there, and at one of them, called "The Kiosk of 
the Conferences," the Sultans used to receive ambas- 
sadors secretly, without the knowledge of their min- 
isters and other officials of the government, and there 
several important treaties between the Ottoman Empire 
and the European Powers were negotiated and signed. 
The Bosphorus is only about eight hundred yards wide 
at this point. Near Bebek was the celebrated bridge 
over which Darius led the Persian armies into Europe. 

142 



ROBERT COLLEGE and MISSIONARIES 143 

A throne was hewn in a rock at the top of the promon- 
tory on which he sat and watched his army crossing 
from Asia. Two pillars of white marble inscribed 
with the names of the nations that contributed to his 
army formerly stood there, according to Herodotus, 
but have since been removed. 

Passengers for the college land from the boats at 
Bebek and follow an easy path up a hill beside an 
ancient cemetery and under the shadow of the walls of 
Rumili Hisar, a mighty castle built by Mohammed II. 
in 1453 while he was besieging the city of Constanti- 
nople. Immediately opposite, upon the Asiatic shore 
of the Bosphorus, a similar castle was erected, and the 
two commanded the passage so that every ship passing 
up and down was compelled to pay toll. Mohammed 
called this castle Boghag Kessen (Throat Cutter), for 
he had a pleasant way with him. The ruins are as 
picturesque and extensive as any in Europe, and the 
towers are almost perfect after nearly six hundred 
years, although the floors and ceilings have long since 
fallen through. The walls have crumbled and much 
stone has been taken away for building material. 
They were originally thirty feet thick and thirty feet 
high, and were built with the greatest haste and energy. 
Mohammed employed 1,000 masons, 1,000 lime-burners 
and 10,000 laborers in the construction, and to each 
mason was assigned the task of building two yards of 
wall in three months. By this division of labor and 
responsibility the work was completed in the time 
named by the ingenious designs of the engineers, and 
the^outline of the walls forms the Turkish word 
"Mahomet." 

There are other interesting places in the neighbor- 
hood, but Robert College is the most interesting of 



144 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

all. The institution is built and conducted upon the 
American plan. You might fancy that the dormitories 
and lecture-rooms and library of some institution in 
Ohio or Illinois had been lifted bodily and transported 
there. They are of solid masonry and as nearly fire- 
proof as it is possible to make them. Dr. Washburn, 
the president, has a comfortable home within the 
grounds, of corresponding architecture and material, 
and the residences of the faculty are scattered around 
the neighborhood inside and outside the walls. It is 
not necessary to describe the buildings, for they are so 
much like our own. In the basement of the principal 
dormitory is the common dining-room at which the 
boarding students take their meals and the day students 
their lunches, and that, too, is conducted upon the 
American rather than the Turkish plan. The same 
can be said of the dormitories, the library and the 
gymnasium. The preparatory department has a new 
building, the gift of Miss Stokes, of New York, which 
cost ^40,000. Other buildings are greatly needed, 
because the present accommodations are not sufficient 
for the demands upon them. It is a lamentable fact 
that students have to be turned away every year because 
there is no room for them. The institution has done 
incalculable good, but it might do more. Its useful- 
ness could be materially increased with a little more 
room and a little more money. 

The gymnasium and playground are considered of 
unusual importance, as the faculty encourage athletics 
not only for physical, but for moral and social culture. 
Football, cricket, baseball and other athletic sports 
are the most effective equalizers that can be adopted. 
The students of the college come from all ranks, castes 
and from every social stratum, but social distinctions 



ROBERT COLLEGE and MISSIONARIES 145 

are not recognized at Robert College any more than 
at our institutions at home, and there is alwa ^s more 
or less difficulty in reconciling the representatives of 
the favored classes to the doctrine of human equality. 
The football field, however, is a pure democracy, 
where all meet on the same level and the best man 
wins the greatest degree of respect and exercises the 
greatest influence. 

Robert College is not a missionary institution, nor is 
it sectarian in any respect. Its object is to afford the 
young men of Turkey and the surrounding countries 
facilities for acquiring such an education as ' /ill best fit 
them for professional and business life. It aims to 
combine the highest mo'^al training with the most com- 
plete mental discipline. The purpose of the faculty is 
to adapt it to the needs of the people and develop 
Christian manliness among the students without 
attempting to teach them theology. The plan of dis- 
cipline and instruction is the same as in the ordinary 
colleges in America. The recitations and lectures are 
all in English. American text-books only are used. 
Students are required to attend chapel daily and 
religious services on Sunday. No exceptions are 
made either for Jews or Gentiles, Roman Catholics or 
Mohammedans. They study the evidences of Chris- 
tianity just as they study moral philosophy, political 
economy and geology. The course of study has been 
selected with a view to the practical application of 
learning, as well as intellectual development. The reg- 
ular collegiate department occupies five full years. The 
tuition fees, including board and lodging, are $200 a 
year. Tuition without board is $40 a year, and tuition 
and luncheon daily $65 a year. There are several 
scholarships which are utilized to the assistance of 



146 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

worthy young men upon the recommendation of the 
faculty. 

The board of trustees has its office in New York. 
The president is John S. Kennedy, the secretary 
Edward B. Coe and the treasurer Frederick A. Booth. 
John Sloane, Cleveland H. Dodge, William T. Booth, 
William C. Sturgis, Robert W. de Forrest and William 
Church Osborn constitute the board. The faculty is 
mixed, a majority of them being natives of the East — 
Greeks, Armenians, Bulgarians, Roumanians and 
Turks — all graduates of the institution and members 
of the Protestant faith. Dr. George Washburn is the 
president; and his father-in-law, Dr. Cyrus Hamlin, was 
the actual founder of the institution. In i860 Christo- 
pher R. Robert, having visited Constantinople, was 
deeply impressed with the necessity for an institution 
of higher learning there, and invited Dr. Hamlin to join 
him in founding an institution which should offer to 
young men, without distinction of race or creed, a thor- 
ough American education. Dr. Hamlin opened the col- 
lege in a rented house in Bebek in 1863. Mr. Robert 
furnished all the funds to sustain the institution until 
his death, in 1878, when he bequeathed tothe college 
one-fifth of his estate, amounting to about 1^400,000. 
Articles of incorporation were secured in New York in 
1864, and in 1869 the Sultan of Turkey was persuaded 
by the American minister at Constantinople to issue an 
irade conferring upon the institution all the advantages 
bestowed by the imperial government upon schools in 
Turkey. On July 4, 1869, the corner-stone of the first 
building was laid by E. J. Morris, the American minis- 
ter, and it was completed in 1871. It still stands as 
the principal building of the college, and is known as 
Hamlin Hall. 



ROBERT COLLEGE and MISSIONARIES 147 

Other buildings have been erected since with funds 
contributed by friends of the college in America, and 
since the death of Mr. Robert the endowment fund has 
been increased by generous contributions from other 
American citizens. The college is almost self-sup- 
porting. The receipts from tuition fees cover the 
salaries of the professors, leaving a balance to be paid 
from the income of the endowment fund which is 
greater or less according to circumstances. The total 
annual expenses are within §50,000 a year, which is a 
very small average for three hundred and eleven stu- 
dents, of whom one hundred and eighty-two sleep and 
board in the college. 

The students come from all parts of Asia Minor, 
Turkey in Europe, Greece and the Balkan States — the 
largest number from the immediate neighborhood of 
Constantinople; the next largest from Greece, Bul- 
garia and Roumania, but almost every nation is repre- 
sented. The Greeks outnumber the rest, having had 
one hundred and twenty-seven representatives in 1902, 
the Armenians one hundred and eight and the Bul- 
garians fifty-one. Then came the Turks, Israelites, 
Roumanians, Austrians, French, Russians, English 
and Americans, Assyrians, Georgians, Persians and 
Levantines in order. The parents of the students 
belong to almost every religious faith represented in 
Constantinople, and are willing to sacrifice their relig- 
ious scruples in order to obtain the educational advan- 
tages of the college. 

The policy of the Turkish government makes it 
difficult and often impossible for Turks to attend the 
institution, and hence there are no professed Moslems 
among the students. It would be unsafe and it might 
be fatal for any student to declare himself a Moslem. 



hS The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

It is suspected, however, that students belonging to 
that faith have enrolled themselves as members of 
others. Young men who have come from different 
parts of Turkey to enter the college are often arrested 
and imprisoned upon their arrival. Dr. Washburn says, 
however, that the minister of police is usually reason- 
able, and when satisfied that they have come in good 
faith he delivers them to the treasurer of the institution 
and holds him responsible for their behavior. In 1901 
one of the students was detained in prison for two 
months on the charge of bringing seditious literature 
into the country. The police inspectors found in his 
luggage two pieces of music which can be bought at 
any music store in Constantinople, but for some 
reason or another the charge was pressed against him 
and it cost his father a large sum of money to obtain 
his release. 

The graduates are found in high places throughout 
the East. Many of them occupy conspicuous positions 
under the governments of Bulgaria, Roumania and the 
neighboring countries. At one time four of the 
Robert College alumni were in the ministry of Bulgaria, 
including the late Mr. Stoiloff, who was recognized as 
the ablest statesman in that country after Stambouloff's 
death, and was prime minister from 1894 to 1901. 

Eleven different services are held in Protestant 
churches in Constantinople every Sunday in four differ- 
ent languages. Three by the Church of England — one 
in the chapel of the embassy, for the British ambas- 
sador has a chaplain and a physician furnished by his 
government, as well as a secretary; at St. Paul's 
Church, which was erected fifty years ago as a memo- 
rial to the English soldiers who died in the Crimean 
war, and in a chapel in the suburbs at ancient Caludon. 



ROBERT COLLEGE and MISSIONARIES 149 

At a chapel connected with the Dutch embassy, union 
services are held by the Presbyterians, Methodists and 
Dutch Reformed. There is also a chapel connected 
with the German embassy and a Lutheran chaplain. 
Besides these there are churches under the direction 
of the American Board of Foreign Missions, attended 
by Protestants at Robert College, at the American 
College for Girls at Scutari and at the American and 
English colony at Bebek on the Bosphorus. The 
Scotch Presbyterians and the Established Church 
of Scotland each has a house of worship, and the 
French Protestants residing in Galata and Pera 
have a very pretty church. Protestant missions to the 
natives are scattered all over the city and are con- 
ducted by British, German, Dutch and American 
societies. The American Board of Foreign Missions 
has one hundred and seventy-six missionaries in 
Turkey, including forty men and over one hundred 
unmarried women. The British and Dutch Reformed 
missionaries are almost as numerous. In all Turkey 
there are about 50,000 registered Protestants and 13,000 
communicants in the various churches, being mostly 
Greeks and Armenians. As we were particularly inter- 
ested in the work of the American missionaries only, I 
did not obtain the statistics of the others, but the 
American Board alone has one hundred and thirty 
organized native churches, twenty-five of which are 
self-supporting. In the city of Constantinople are 
two large congregations of Armenian and Greek Prot- 
estants, who have already purchased lots to erect 
houses of worship and have raised funds for that 
purpose, but are prohibited from doing so by the 
officials. They have made applications for building 
permits frequently from time to time during the last 



I50 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

eight or ten years, which have always been denied- 
them, and even the American minister cannot exert 
sufficient influence to secure that privilege. No Prot- 
estant church can be erected in Constantinople. No 
man dare sell a piece of land for the purpose. The 
churches already standing have been erected under 
the patronage of the different foreign legations and 
embassies. 

A number of high standard colleges are maintained 
by the missionary boards in Turkey, as well as schools 
of all grades. The colleges are now educating a total 
of 3,000 students, and the pupils in the schools number 
over 20,000, most of these institutions being self- 
supporting. The students come chiefly from the mer- 
cantile class, and only about one-fourth of them are 
Protestants. The remainder represent all creeds and 
races, although the Mohammedan beb'evers are few. 
More than three-fourths of the students pay full 
tuition, ranging from ^40 to ^250 a year, according to 
location and circumstances. There are scholarships 
for the benefit of poor students, but they are usually 
reserved for such young men and women as are study- 
ing for the mission work and for teaching in the 
mission schools. 

From 1856 to 1876, from the Crimean war to the 
reign of Abdul Hamid II., the present Sultan, relig- 
ious liberty prevailed throughout all Turkey, and, 
the government encouraging Mohammedans to enter 
the schools, they came in large numbers. But under 
the present Sultan the policy has been to restrict edu- 
cation and keep the people in ignorance, and no 
Moslem can attend a Protestant school without 
rendering himself and his family the objects of sus- 
picion and persecution of all sorts. The father may 



ROBERT COLLEGE and MISSIONARIES 151 

be arrested upon false charges, sent to prison and his 
property confiscated, or the son may be accused of 
"discontent" (a crime which is very prevalent) and be 
sent to prison for months or years, or some member of 
the family may be charged with membership In the 
"Young Turkey" party, which is an offense punishable 
by death or banishment. Any of these things is likely 
to occur without the slightest justification, and they 
are intended as discipline to prevent proselyting by 
the Protestants among Mohammedans, and to make 
the Protestant schools unpopular. A Christianized 
Mohammedan cannot live in Turkey. He is com- 
pelled to leave the country, for as soon as the fact is 
known he is either assassinated or thrown into prison. 
Mohammedans who accept Christianity are very few. 
A somewhat notable case occurred recently — per- 
haps two. I have heard two versions with different 
names, but am confident they refer to the same person. 
The son of a prominent pasha who held a commis- 
sion in the Turkish army became acquainted with an 
American family and visited them frequently for the 
purpose of improving his English conversation. He 
became quite intimate with them, accompanied them 
to church and read books on religious subjects which 
were loaned by them. He decided to formally 
renounce the religion of his fathers and become a 
Protestant, but was compelled to leave the country as 
soon as his intentions were known. If his father had 
not condemned his own son with great promptness the 
entire family would have been involved in danger. 
The young man fled on an English ship, reached the 
United States about the time of the opening of the 
Spanish war, enlisted in the army, served through 
the Santiago campaign, was promoted for efficiency and 



152 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

has since been appointed a second lieutenant. It is 
impossible for him to return to Turkey. He would be 
assassinated by some fanatic if the government police 
did not get him first and arrest him upon some pretext. 
He would then disappear and nobody would dare ask 
questions as to his fate. It would be dangerous to do 
so. This case is known to every Protestant family and 
throughout the upper classes of Constantinople, and 
all other examples of the conversion of Moslems are 
equally familiar because they are so few. There is, 
nevertheless, a good deal of missionary work done by 
the Protestants among the Mohammedans, and at least 
5,000 copies of the Bible in the Turkish language are 
sold in the Ottoman Empire every year, which shows 
an interest among the people; but the government 
officials and the Mohammedan priests are so vigilant 
that the purchasers would not be willing to have their 
names known. In fact, the Bible House was pro- 
hibited from publishing the Bible in the Turkish 
language for many years and was originally compelled 
by the censor to print upon the title page a warning 
that the book was intended for Protestants only. 

The educational system of the Turks is not entirely 
bad, but is mostly for religious instruction. The 
mekteb, or primary schools, are numerous, and afford 
every boy and girl in the city an opportunity to learn 
to read and write and obtain a knowledge of the 
Koran. Such schools are attached to every mosque in 
the empire. The ibtidaiyeh^ or secondary schools, 
afford opportunities for learning geography, arith- 
metic, history and the modern languages, but there 
are only twenty of these schools in all Constantinople 
for a million and more people. The medresseh, or 
colleges, teach philosophy, logic, rhetoric, theology 



ROBERT COLLEGE and MISSIONARIES 153 

and Turkish law, and generally take the place of the 
universities found in other countries. They are the 
highest educational institutions maintained by the 
Turkish government. There are schools of law, medi- 
cine, mines and forestry, art, and a manual-training 
establishment supported by the government, with nine 
large institutions for military and naval education. 
The Greeks, Armenians and Jews each have their own 
schools connected with their churches and maintained 
by private contributions. Some of them offer a high 
standard of education and have fine libraries. 

There is a Protestant college for girls at Scutari, on 
the opposite side of the Bosphorus, which offers educa- 
tion for young women and has an average of one 
hundred and seventy-five pupils. It has been estab- 
lished for a quarter of a century, and has sent out a 
large number of useful teachers of nine different 
nationalities, who are now engaged throughout differ- 
ent parts of the Turkish Empire and the neighboring 
countries. Miss Mary M. Patrick, the president, is 
assisted by a faculty of six American professors and 
fifteen other instructors. You must not think, how- 
ever, that the Americans are the only people who are 
doing good in an educational way in the Sultan's 
dominions. The English, the Germans, the Swiss, the 
French and the Austrians all have institutions for the 
education of the natives, more or less supported by 
charities. 

The editor of a Turkish newspaper is surrounded by 
numerous embarrassments, yet, notwithstanding the 
strict censorship to which it is subjected, the press 
exercises a much wider influence than it is given credit 
for, considering that the first newspaper was not pub- 
lished, and that no private printing-office was allowed 



154 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

in Turkey until during the Crimean war. There are 
daily papers in all of the large towns of the interior. 
Each vilayet, or province, has an official journal. In 
Constantinople the newspapers are innumerable — polit- 
ical, religious, literary, scientific and commercial — and 
are published in more different languages than in any 
other city in the world. There are papers in Arabic, 
Armenian, Bulgarian, English, French, German, 
Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Syriac, Persian, Spanish and 
in three different dialects of the Turkish language. 
During the Crimean war papers sprang up in Constan- 
tinople like mushrooms, and were free so far as formal 
regulations were concerned until a press law was pro- 
mulgated in 1861, under which the publication of 
articles reflecting upon the Sultan, the government, 
the church, the police and other officials was pro- 
hibited and, certain political and religious topics were 
tabooed. In case of violation of the law the respon- 
sible editor was punished by fine, imprisonment or the 
suspension of his newspaper. 

A few years later the minister of the interior 
assumed arbitrary authority over the press, and when 
an article appeared that displeased him he punished 
the editor, suppressed the paper and confiscated the 
property at his pleasure. This continued until about 
1886, when a preventive censorship was adopted and a 
press bureau was added to the private cabinet of His 
Majesty the Sultan. Representatives of this bureau 
are detailed to assist the editors of newspapers and are 
paid by them. Liberality is a matter of mutual agree- 
ment. The more they are paid the less trouble they 
cause, and if they do not receive as much as they want 
they generally find means to revenge themselves. The 
censors have desks in the newspaper offices and proof 



ROBERT COLLEGE and MISSIONARIES 155 

slips of every article must be submitted for their 
approval, which is indicated by a rubber stamp and 
signature. The proof slips thus marked are carefully 
filed away for the protection of the editor. The 
censors are usually incapable of forming an opinion as 
to the merits or effect of a political "'or economic 
article, but have a quick eye for prohibited subjects 
and words. Editors very soon get to understand them, 
and by the exercise of a little tact are able to handle 
them without difficulty. But certain rules must be 
observed. Nobody, of course, dare speak ill of the 
Sultan or of his government. Everything done by 
them must be approved; foreign relations cannot be 
touched upon, and religious discussions must be 
avoided so far as they affect Mohammedans. Nothing 
can appear which relates to political revolutions, 
insurrections or disturbances of any kind in other 
countries. If all the cabinets in Europe should resign, 
if a political revolution should break out in England 
and King Edward's throne should be overturned, the 
fact would never be mentioned in a Turkish news- 
paper. No particulars of the assassinations of King 
Humbert and of President McKinley were printed — 
only the announcement of their deaths, which the 
readers would infer were due to natural causes. It is 
not safe to let the discontented element in Turkey 
know that kings or presidents can be killed. They 
might take a hint. 

Nowhere at any of the courts of Europe do the dip- 
lomatic representatives of the United States appear to 
so great a disadvantage among the ambassadors and 
ministers of other Powers as at Constantinople, and 
Congress should do something to improve their posi- 
tion for the dignity and honor of our government. If 



156 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

there should be trouble at the Turkish capital 
to-morrow or next week — and it is likely to occur at 
any time — the American minister, the members of his 
legation, the consul-general and his staff and their 
families would be compelled to take refuge at the 
British embassy. They might, of course, go to the Ger- 
man or Russian embassy, but our relations with the 
British are more intimate there, as well as elsewhere, 
because of a similarity of language and mutual inter- 
ests. At all capitals the interests of citizens of the 
United States are protected by the representatives of 
Great Britain when our own ministers are absent, and 
vice versa, and the records of our legations and con- 
sulates are always intrusted to the British diplomatic 
and consular officials, and theirs to ours, whenever 
necessary. Our minister and consul-general, with 
their secretaries and attaches, would be welcome at the 
British embassy, which has often extended its hospi- 
tality to their predecessors, but it is nevertheless a 
humiliating fact that they are dependent upon other 
nations for protection when Uncle Sam is great 
enough and rich enough to provide for his own agents in 
foreign countries. 

The doctrine of extra-territoriality prevails in 
Turkey — that is, the citizens of each nation residing 
there[are tried for offenses according to their own laws, 
and before their own diplomatic and consular repre- 
sentatives. It does not matter who the plaintiff is. 
He may be a Turk or a Dutchman; the nationality of 
the defendant determines the court and the law by 
which an offense shall be tried, for every offense he 
may commit, from murder down to petty larceny. 
Hence court is held regularly at the various embassies 
and legations, petty offenses being tried before the 



ROBERT COLLEGE and MISSIONARIES 157 

consuls, and those of a more serious character before 
the minister or ambassador. The Turkish officials 
have nothing to do with them. 

Turkish law is founded on the Koran, the teachings of 
famous Khalifs and other disciples of Islam, and upon 
decisions rendered upon questions proposed to the 
Sheik-ul-Islam, the head of the Moslem Church, who 
is the court of final appeal and has authority to over- 
rule all magistrates. The teachings of the Koran and 
the prophet and such precedents, maxims and 
decisions are codified and published in a volume 
divided into chapters relating to commercial affairs, 
penal offenses, etc., and the canon, or ecclesiastic, and 
common law. To them are added the firmans, or proc- 
lamations, of the Sultan, which permit or forbid 
certain things among his subjects, and the regulations 
provided by the police authorities which generally 
stand from year to year. The kazasskers, or justices, 
as we would call them, a body of theologians, jurists 
and teachers of Moslem law, are supposed to assist the 
Sheik-ul-Islam in the investigation and decision of 
questions of law, and prepare briefs for him to sign. 
There is also a court known as the Ulema, of minor 
jurisdiction. 

All residents of Turkey are supposed to belong to 
some religious society, or millet, and are reached 
through the head of their particular community. The- 
oretically each 7nillet is allowed the free exercise of 
religion, the management of its own monasteries, 
schools, hospitals and charitable institutions and in 
certain cases judicial authority. The chief millets are 
Roman Catholic, Greek, Orthodox, Armenian, Jewish, 
Protestant, Bulgarian, Maronite, Nestorian and Greek 
Roman Catholic; and each citizen, no matter how 



158 r>^^TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

humble, is required to be registered as a member of 
one of these millets. In case he has committed an 
offense he has the nominal right to appeal to the head 
of his sect for protection, and on the other hand 
the patriarch or chief of each millet is nominally the 
medium through which the laws and orders of the 
Turkish government are enforced; but this is purely- 
theoretical. Men who are accused of crime or misde- 
meanor are hauled up by the Turkish police and cast 
into prison without mercy or justice and remain there 
until their friends can raise money enough to buy them 
out or the diplomatic agent of their government 
appears to protect them. 

In the embassy courts no account is taken of Turkish 
law or mode of procedure, and the proceedings are 
conducted exactly as they would be at home. Our 
consul-general has a clerk of court, a United States 
marshal and other judicial officers, whose powers and 
duties correspond precisely to those of similar officials 
at home, and our government has a prison also for the 
detention of offenders. The business of the United 
States court, however, is very small compared with 
that of other legation courts, because we have very 
few citizens in Constantinople. There are only about 
two hundred Americans in Turkey all told, and they 
are mostly missionaries, who do not often appear in 
the consular courts. But some of the embassies — the 
Russian, the German, Austrian and French — do con- 
siderable business. 

Each of the European Powers, even Holland and 
Belgium, has a handsome residence and legation 
building. The German embassy is one of the finest 
edifices in Constantinople. None but the palaces of 
the Sultan exceed it in dimensions or pretensions. It 



ROBERT COLLEGE and MISSIONARIES 159 

stands in a conspicuous place and may be seen from 
all parts of the city. The Russian embassy is an enor- 
mous building-, surrounded by a high wall, and has a 
hospital connected with it. The British embassy is 
also a fine building. Our minister usually has to live 
in a hotel because it is always difficult and often 
impossible to rent a suitable residence. At present 
only one house in Constantinople fit for the purpose 
can be secured. It belongs to an Italian nobleman 
who has returned to his former home in Italy, and 
stands in one of the most convenient and desirable 
sections of the city, but the cellar is full of water and 
cannot be kept dry. The walls are saturated with 
moisture, and hence the prospect of leasing it is not 
good. Usually the United States minister rents a res- 
idence at Therepia, a suburban town a few miles up 
the Bosphorus, where several of the European govern- 
ments have legations for the use of their representa- 
tives during the hot season, when the heat and the 
filth make it impossible for them to live in the city. 
On the first of July the entire diplomatic corps moves 
en masse from Constantinople to Therepia and remains 
there until the first of November, when it is again safe 
to return. The ambassadors or their secretaries come 
to town nearly every day for the transaction of neces- 
sary business and to communicate with the officials of 
the government, and are provided with yachts for the 
journey,. Our government is the only one of impor- 
tance which does not have a yacht for the use of its 
minister lying at anchor near the custom-house. 
During the summer months he is permitted to lease a 
little steam launch, but at the close of the season it is 
sent back to its owner. 

These yachts have, however, a purpose which is 



i6o The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

much more important, but it is not often mentioned. 
The condition of affairs in Turkey is similar to that in 
China, and the members of the diplomatic corps are 
exposed at all times to the same dangers that imperiled 
the legations at Peking two years ago. When a mob 
of Moslems, whose religion teaches them that it is 
their duty to kill Christians, takes possession of the 
city of Constantinople, it does not distinguish between 
foreigners. All persons who do not profess the 
Moslem faith are infidels and must die, no matter 
whether they are Armenians or English or Austrians, 
and the police and other officials have no means of 
controlling or directing the ignorant and fanatical 
Turks. It is considered necessary, therefore, that the 
members of the different embassies and legations 
should have means of escape always at hand, and 
hence the long line of steam yachts anchored at a con- 
venient situation near the foreign quarter of the city. 
Germany, Russia, England, France, Austria and Italy 
always have gunboats anchored in the Bosphorus as 
an additional protection. The Turkish government 
requires them to be small. As a rule it will not permit 
a foreign man-of-war to pass the Dardanelles, but 
these guard-boats, as they are called, are admitted to 
be necessary by the police themselves, and by special 
treaty provision are allowed to anchor off the city. 
Public confidence in the government is so small that 
nearly all the European nations have their own mail 
service. The British, German, French, Austrians and 
Russians have distinct and separate postoffices, because 
the subjects of those nations residing in Turkey can- 
not trust the Turkish mails. This is done with the 
consent of the Sultan, and is regulated by treaty 
stipulations. The postoffices are open to the public 



ROBERT COLLEGE and MISSIONARIES i6i 

and can be used by anyone. The mail is put into 
bags, sealed and shipped by railroad to the nearest 
convenient point within the territory of the nation 
interested. The British mail goes to London, the 
French mail to Marseilles, the Austrian to Budapest 
and the Russian to Odessa. The seals are broken at 
those places, and the contents of the bags are turned 
over to the regular postal officials. At the British 
postoffice British stamps are sold, surcharged with the 
value in Turkish money. The same is true of all the 
other postoffices. 

Tourists can no longer visit the great "Cistern of the 
1,001 Pillars," which was formerly one of the most 
interesting objects in Constantinople. It was built in 
the time of Constantine for the purpose of storing 
water, is one hundred and ninety-five feet long, one 
hundred and sixty-seven feet wide and twenty-seven 
feet deep. The roof is sustained by a vast forest of 
columns, and it is the popular notion that they number 
one more than a thousand. It is estimated that the 
cistern formerly held enough water to supply the pop- 
ulation of Stamboul for ten days, but it has not been 
used since 1850 for that purpose. Constantinople has 
an excellent water system carried in aqueducts running 
to various quarters of the city. For many years this 
and several other great cisterns, having been pumped 
out, were used for storage of government supplies, but 
of late they have been practically abandoned, and 
certain Armenian manufacturers of rope, carpets and 
other articles which required more room than light, 
have been using them rent free, because of their large 
size and other advantages. During the massacre of 
1896, however, the Turkish mob surprised the Arme- 
nians at work in this cistern and killed between sixty 



i62 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

and seventy in cold blood. Their bodies were allowed 
to remain in the cistern unburied and are there still. 
Hence it is not an agreeable place to visit. 

Two thousand children, orphans of people who lost 
their lives in that massacre, are employed in a carpet 
factory in the suburbs of Constantinople. 



PART II 

Bulgaria 



163 



PART II 

BULGARIA 
IX 

RECENT HISTORY AND POLITICS 

In the early days, at the time of that great soldier, 
Philip of Macedon, the name of Thrace was applied to 
the whole district south of the Danube. It was inhab- 
ited by a savage race, which Philip and his successor, 
Alexander, brought under subjection and incorporated 
into their empire. Early in the Christian era the 
Emperor Vespasian conquered the country, and it 
became a Roman province, and remained such until 
the horde of eastern barbarians swept up the valley of 
the Danube about the beginning of the third century. 
Among them were the Bulgari, an Asiatic clan, who 
remained in possession of the Balkan Mountain region 
and gave it their name. During subsequent centuries 
they founded the great Bulgarian Empire, which 
attained the zenith of its power during the reign of 
the Czar Simeon (893-927 A. D.), but fell under Byzan- 
tine rule in the eleventh century. 

The first appearance of Russia in the affairs of Bul- 
garia was a most important event, for it has affected 
the politics of the country until this very day. One 
August morning in the year 967 A.D. 10,000 men landed 
from a Russian fleet at the mouth of the Danube. 
They were led by a valiant and hardy warrior named 
Sviatoslav, whose food was horseflesh and whose bed 

165 



1 66 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

was a bearskin laid upon the ground. Since then the 
Russians, by reason of racial and religious relationship, 
have claimed the right to interfere in the affairs of the 
country, and no nation has shown greater sympathy 
with the unhappy people who have suffered so much 
from Turkish oppression. 

The balance of power in Europe prevents the annex- 
ation of the Balkan States to the Russian Empire. 
Austria and Germany will not permit the Czar to 
extend his boundaries to the Mediterranean, but no 
power- has yet been able to counteract the Russian 
influence in Bulgarian politics or prevent the Bul- 
garians from appealing to the Great White Bear when 
they are in danger or distress. Russian influence is 
paramount in Bulgaria to-day, not only because of 
affection, but for two other reasons: In the first place, 
the people are not strong enough to resist it, and in 
the second place, it is important for the Bulgarians to 
cultivate the friendship of their powerful neighbor in 
anticipation of events which may occur at any time. 
To no other source can they look for assistance. 

In the twelfth century occurred the first Russian 
invasion of Bulgaria, which was so general as to cause 
a fusion of races and the adoption of the Slav language 
and religion, which has been used by Russia as a 
pretext for exercising a protectorate over southeastern 
Europe. In the fourteenth century the Turks- drove 
the Russians out, and in 1389 the country was brought 
completely under Ottoman rule, which continued until 
the close of the Russo-Turkish war in 1877-78. The 
pretext for that war was the protection of the members 
of the Greek Church against the cruelties and persecu- 
tions of the Turkish officials, and Mr. Gladstone, 
although out of power at the time in England, 



RECENT HISTORY AND POLITICS 167 

undoubtedly did more to bring it about than any other 
influence, by the publication of a pamphlet entitled 
"The Bulgarian Atrocities." With fervid eloquence 
he described the sufferings of the Christians, and 
Eugene Schuyler, then United States consul-general 
at Constantinople, prepared a report which furnished 
the facts to sustain the appeal of Mr. Gladstone in 
awakening sympathy and indignation throughout the 
civilized world. The state of public feeling justified 
Alexander II. of Russia in undertaking to protect and 
avenge the victims of Moslem cruelty, who professed 
the same religion and spoke almost the same language 
as himself. While the motives of the Russian govern- 
ment may not have been entirely disinterested, the 
crusade was so just that public opinion overlooked the 
fact that it had been striving several hundred years to 
annex European Turkey to its own great empire and 
make Constantinople its southern capital. 

Alexander II. was a humane man. He emancipated 
40,000,000 of serfs, and, if his life had been spared a 
few years longer, he would have given the Russian 
people a liberal allowance of self-government and 
transformed an autocratic despotism into a constitu- 
tional monarchy. The Bulgarians worship his memory. 
They have erected a monument in his honor, and have 
called their principal park by his name. His portrait 
may be seen in the cabins of the peasants as well as in 
the palace of the reigning prince. At every stationer's 
and news-stand, in every shop where postage stamps 
are sold, postal cards bearing his picture over the title 
"Liberator of Bulgaria" may be purchased. More of 
them are sold than of any other variety and this devo- 
tion and gratitude has continued for nearly a quarter 
of a century. One of the principal streets of Sofia is 



l68 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

named in honor of Mr. Gladstone, and his portrait is 
also printed on postal cards, although I saw no recog- 
nition of Mr. Schuyler's services to that country. 

The blood that was spilled in behalf of Bulgaria in 
the siege of Plevna and in the defense of Shipka Pass 
was not shed in vain; and, as the price of peace, 
Russia demanded and Turkey consented in the Treaty 
of San Stefano that Bulgaria and Macedonia, known 
on the map as Rumelia, should be independent of 
the Sultan's authority. But the other jealous Powers 
of Europe unfortunately interfered with this arrange- 
ment, and, at a conference in Berlin, created a new 
nation called Bulgaria, defining its limits as they 
appear upon current maps, but leaving out Macedonia 
and providing that it should be under "the direct 
political and military authority of the Sultan" with a 
Christian governor-general. It was also stipulated 
that religious freedom and tolerance should be guaran- 
teed by the Turks, and that the people of the various 
provinces should have the privilege of electing their 
own magistrates and enacting their own laws, subject 
to the general approval of the imperial authorities at 
Constantinople. Various other important reforms 
were also promised by the Sultan affecting taxation, 
the protection of personal and property rights, and 
the general welfare of the people. If these pledges 
and stipulations had been carried out according to the 
letter of the treaty, Rumelia would be a happy, pros- 
perous and peaceful country to-day, but the Powers at 
Berlin must have known that the Sultan of Turkey . 
never kept a promise, and probably never will, and the 
childlike faith with which they accepted his profuse 
assurances of reform is the most astonishing phenom- 
enon in political history. 



RECENT HISTORY AND POLITICS 169 

When the great Powers met at Berlin after the close 
of the Russo-Turkish war, they told the oeople of Bul- 
garia that they might thereafter manage their own 
affairs and select their own king, subject to the 
approval of the Sultan. They were required to pay 
him annual tribute in lieu of the taxes which he used 
to collect in Bulgaria, but the amount was not defi- 
nitely fixed, and the financial relations of the two 
countries are in a hopeless muddle, and will some 
time require an international commission to adjust 
them. Bulgaria was also held responsible for a share 
of the Turkish national debt, but it has never been 
definitely apportioned. As soon as their neighbors 
had decided what the Bulgarians must do, an election 
was ordered, and a legislative assembly chosen under 
the supervision of Russian soldiers, who interfered 
more or less at the polls, and endeavored to influence 
the voting by bulldozing, moral suasion, gilded 
promises and other inducements. A curious constitu- 
tion was also prepared by a shrewd Russian politician 
and adopted by the people, although very few of them 
were able to comprehend it. In fact, nobody pretends 
to understand the document, and it was evidently 
intended to be ambiguous. 

After a good deal of conferring and correspondence 
the national assembly selected as their sovereign 
Prince Alexander of Hesse, a young man of twenty- 
four, then holding a commission as lieutenant upon 
the staff of his great-uncle, Kaiser Wilhelm of Ger- 
many, and stationed at Potsdam. Alexander was 
directly or indirectly connected with several of the 
reigning families of Europe, and was therefore believed 
to be impartial. He was a nephew of the Czar of 
Russia, and his brother Henry was the husband of 



I70 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

Queen Victoria's daughter Beatrice. He was a great 
favorite with everybody, because of his amiable dispo- 
sition, his frank and brave nature and his sterling 
integrity. The people of Bulgaria gave him a cordial 
welcome, and he commenced a series of reforms, said 
to have been recommended by Prince Bismarck, who 
took great interest in his career. He proved to be a 
good king. Unselfish, warm-hearted, patriotic and 
ambitious to promote the welfare of the people whose 
destiny he was selected to control. But he was too 
frank and honest to cope with the conspirators by 
whom he was surrounded. The Bulgarians had been 
under Turkish bondage for five centuries, and were 
unfitted to govern themselves, like all people who 
have been subject to tyranny. They were even worse 
than the Cubans or the Filipinos. Bismarck said they 
"had been put into the saddle before they learned to 
ride." The situation was aggravated by the jealousy 
of the surrounding nations — Germany, Austria, Russia, 
Turkey and. Greece — which were inclined to use Bul- 
garia as a football in their political games. Russia 
was disappointed and vindictive because the other 
Powers had not permitted her to enjoy the fruits of 
her victory over the Turks and was determined to 
recover control of Bulgaria by intrigue, which has 
been done. 

The lack of educated natives in Bulgaria made it 
necessary to fill nearly all of the important military 
and civil offices with foreigners, and the Russians 
obtained the most influential places. Clever men 
were sent from St. Petersburg to cultivate public senti- 
ment and by mercenary and other means to influence 
the elections. The parliament, or Sobranje, as it is 
called, consists of a single chamber, elected by the 



RECENT HISTORY AND POLITICS 171 

votes of all citizens who can read and write. The 
ministry are absolutely independent of the chamber, 
and no parliamentary action can upset them. They 
are responsible only to the ruling prince, who also has 
entire authority to appoint and dismiss the ofificers of 
the army and the civil service. The only way the 
Sobranje can control him is by withholding appropria- 
tions, and in case of a deadlock with the sovereign 
there is no one to decide. 

Bulgaria, without the slightest experience or prepa- 
ration, was suddenly transformed into an independent 
state, with the machinery of the government entirely 
in the hands of foreigners, who were not only jealous, 
but hostile towards each other. 

People say that Alexander lacked judgment and dis- 
cretion; that he talked too much; that he was no 
diplomatist; that he quarreled with his advisers; that 
he was lamentably deficient in the arts of the politi- 
cian, and was too liberal and lenient to govern a 
country which had never known any ruler but a 
despot. This is probably true. If Alexander could 
have had a sagacious and experienced statesman to 
guide him, he might have had a different fate. But, 
under his brief administration, Bulgaria made extraor- 
dinary progress, and if he had been allowed to 
remain upon the throne, by this time it would have 
advanced to a gratifying position among nations. 
When he came to Sofia the entire country was in a 
state of anarchy, a hundred times worse than Cuba 
after the Spanish war. The people had been suffering 
horrors that shocked the civilized world, and had been 
oppressed by cruelty that cannot be described. Being 
exasperated into resistance, their oppressors punished 
them with sword and the torch. The number of 



172 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

victims is unknown. The British minister, who made 
an investigation, declared that not less than 12,000 
persons were massacred in a single month by the 
Turks. Eugene Schuyler, the American consul then at 
Constantinople, put the number at 15,000. The coun- 
try had been in a state of chronic revolution for 
several years and the theater of a war between two 
powerful nations whose armies foraged upon the farms, 
burned the cities and left desolate a large portion of 
the territory. Most of the population had fled to the 
mountains from their burning homes, and many of 
them were too poor and discouraged to repair damages 
when peace was restored. 

In attempting to regenerate this distracted nation, 
Alexander of Battenberg undertook a task more diffi- 
cult than was attempted by any other man of his gen- 
eration. He endeavored to build up a new nation out 
of heterogeneous materials, and had little assistance 
but much interference from the Powers that had 
intrusted him with the work. He is one of the most 
romantic figures in modern European history. His 
frank and cheerful nature, his social charms, his per- 
sonal courage upon the field of battle and his heroic 
attempts to overcome the impossible won for him the 
enduring affection of the common people and all 
patriotic spirits in Bulgaria, who recognized that he 
had no motive but their good. The same qualities, 
however, made him bitter and relentless enemies. He 
was surrounded by ambitious and avaricious adven- 
turers and corrupt officials whom he dismissed the 
moment he discovered their misconduct. He was. a 
poor judge of a rascal. He was so honest and can- 
did himself that he could not detect • the insincerity 
of others. He might have overcome these obstacles 



RECENT HISTORY AND POLITICS 173 

and defeated the conspiracies that were constantly 
formed against him if Alexander II. of Russia had 
lived, whose assassination was a sad blow to Bulgaria 
as well as to his own people. He had great confidence 
in his nephew, Prince Alexander, loved him like his 
own son and supported him in every direction, even 
against the intrigues of Russian politicians who had 
been sent to Sofia to control the government. The 
people of Bulgaria loved him and still call him their 
"Liberator." 

Alexander III., for some reason or other, never 
liked his cousin of Battenberg, and soon after ascend- 
ing the throne called him to account for his anti- 
Russian policy in Bulgaria. The explanation was 
unsatisfactory. Alexander said he was endeavoring 
to administer affairs for the best interests of the 
people themselves without regard to foreign complica- 
tions. His liberality was too great to please the Czar. 
He was a Protestant and encouraged education to an 
extent that was not appreciated by the clergy of the 
Greek Church. He granted freedom to the press, 
which encouraged the democratic spirit of the people 
and strengthened the Liberal party in politics, which 
was anti-Russian in its tendencies and even advo- 
cated a republican form of government. Failing to 
meet the requirements of the Czar, Alexander found 
he was no longer allowed to be master in his own 
house, and that the Russian officials who surrounded 
him were taking their orders from St. Petersburg 
rather than from their own sovereign. He attempted 
to dismiss them and asserted his independence by 
filling their positions with native Liberals upon whom 
he could rely. The Russians retaliated by one of the 
most scandalous and shameful conspiracies that has 



174 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

ever occurred in political history. It might have 
happened in the Middle Ages, in the days of the 
robber barons and the Medicis, but there is nothing to 
compare with it in modern times. 

At two o'clock on the morning of August 21, 1886, 
Prince Alexander was aroused from his slumbers by 
his valet, who thrust a revolver into his hand and 
begged him to flee through an open window. But the 
prince was a man to face danger, and, partially 
dressing himself, stepped into an ante-room where he 
found a crowd of Russian officers, some of whom he. 
had recently dismissed from their positions, and 
others still in the employment of the government. 
They coolly informed him that he had the option to 
choose between death and abdication. A Russian 
ofificer tore a blank page out of the visitors' book that 
lay upon the table and attempted to write an abdica- 
tion, but he was too drunk to do so. A young cadet 
from the military academy took the pen and wrote a 
few incoherent words at his dictation. With five 
revolvers pointing at his head, Alexander calmly read 
the document and remarked sarcastically: 

"Gentlemen, you shall have your way," and wrote 
in German the words, "God protect Bulgaria. Alex- 
ander." 

A few moments later he was hustled into a carriage 
and, guarded by an escort of Russian officers and 
cadets from the military academy, which was in their 
charge, he was driven at a gallop seventeen miles to a 
monastery, where, after a few hours' rest, an exchange 
of horses was made and he was hurried over the 
Balkan Mountains to the Danube River and placed 
upon a yacht. 

The conspirators at Sofia, with the aid of the Metro- 



RECENT HISTORY AND POLITICS 



175 



poUtan, or archbishop, of the Greek Church, proclaimed 
a provisional government; but Stambouloff, the young 
president of the parliament, who was equal to the emer- 
gency, declared them to be outlaws, appealed to the 
Bulgarians to defend the throne against the Russian 
conspirators, and persuaded the parliament to appoint 
him regent until Prince Alexander could be restored. 
It was several days before the latter could be found. 
In the meantime he was concealed upon the yacht on 
the Danube River. When the facts became known 
throughout Europe the Russians were compelled by 
public sentiment to surrender him, and the Czar made 
desperate efforts to exculpate himself from the respon- 
sibility. Nevertheless, not one of the Russian officials 
who were engaged in the plot was ever punished or 
even censured. 

Prince Alexander returned to Sofia in triumph, and 
was enthusiastically welcomed by the people; but, 
with characteristic frankness, immediately telegraphed 
the Czar: 

"I received my crown from Russia. I am ready to 
return it to the hands of her sovereign whenever it is 
demanded." 

The Czar at once replied, as might have been 
expected, expressing disapproval of the return of 
Alexander to Bulgaria and censuring his administra- 
tion of affairs. In vain Stambouloff and other Bul- 
garians implored their prince to remain and defy 
Russia, and even threatened to prevent him by force 
from abdication, but Alexander declared that his use- 
fulness was ended, and that it was the only wise 
course for him to retire and save the country from 
a war with Russia. Before doing so, however, he 
exacted a pledge from the Czar that he would permit the 



176 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

Bulgarians to manage their own affairs without inter- 
ference — a pledge that was violated within the next 
thirty days, and has never been kept in any respect. 
Then, appointing a regency, Alexander formally 
abdicated authority and left the country with the 
affection and confidence of the people. He went to 
Austria, where he remained in retirement, under the 
title of Count Hartenau, until his death in 1893. 

When Alexander abdicated it was necessary for the 
Bulgarians to choose another king, and they selected 
Prince Waldemar of Denmark, a brother of the Queen 
of Great Britain, the dowager Czarina of Russia and 
the King of Greece; but, rather than risk a quarrel 
with his big brother-in-law at St. Petersburg, who had 
compelled Alexander to throw down the crown, Wal- 
demar declined the honor, and a committee was sent 
from Sofia to the various capitals of Europe to find a 
proper man. In the meantime Stambouloff, president 
of the Sobranje, or parliament, ruled the country as 
regent, and his policy was openly and defiantly anti- 
Russian. The Czar sent down two commissioners to 
take the state in hand. Stambouloff treated them 
respectfully, but declined to obey their orders. Two 
Russian men-of-war soon after appeared in the harbor 
of Varna, the principal seaport of Bulgaria, but even 
that did not intimidate Stambouloff, and the Russians, 
becoming disgusted, recalled all of their countrymen 
who were holding official and military positions, and 
even their minister and consuls, leaving Bulgaria to its 
fate. What Alexander III. expected to happen it is 
difficult to determine. He probably believed that 
anarchy would follow and furnish him an excuse for 
occupying Bulgaria with an army, but the country 
remained at peace. Stambouloff proved to be not only 



RECENT HISTORY AND POLITICS 177 

an aMe but a satisfactory ruler, and he carried out the 
policy of the deposed Alexander of Battenberg in an 
able and enlightened manner. 

Stepan Stambouloff was undoubtedly the ablest man 
that has appeared upon the Balkan Peninsula for 
several centuries, and one of the most extraordinary 
characters of his generation. Although his faults were 
conspicuous, his patriotism was never questioned. 
His integrity of purpose shines out like a planet 
among the vacillating and cowardly politicians who 
surrounded him. He was born at the little town of 
Turnovo, the son of a humble innkeeper, and was edu- 
cated at an ordinary country school. He came into 
prominence during the revolution against Turkish 
authority previous to the Russo-Turkish war, and, 
although barely of age, emerged from that struggle 
one of the most conspicuous and influential of the 
Bulgarian patriots. Although the new constitution 
required a man to be thirty years old to be eligible to 
the Sobranje^ he was an active member of that body 
before he was twenty-three, and its president before he 
was twenty-five, and he occupied that position contin- 
uously until he became prime minister in 1887 at the 
age of thirty-three years. He was remarkable for his 
courage, firmness and determination; he was a natural 
ruler of men and always exercised a remarkable influ- 
ence over every person who came in contact with him. 
It used to be said that his enemies were always his 
friends so long as they remained in his presence. He 
was gifted with the highest degree of skill as a politi- 
cian, and would have been a political dictator if he 
had lived in a republic. Among the ignorant and 
inexperienced population of Bulgaria he was able to 
exercise an influence that was absolute, and the 



178 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

Sobranje was almost unanimous in his support. No 
doubt Stambouloff's methods were often questionable. 
He believed that the end justified the means, and 
never hesitated to employ any measures he thought 
necessary to accomplish a purpose. He was arbitrary, 
cruel and vindictive. The savage nature of the Bul- 
garian mountaineers, from whom he came, frequently 
appeared in his manners and disposition. He lacked 
polish and was indifferent to suffering; but his entire 
career is an example of unselfish integrity. He 
devoted his life and his talents to promoting the 
welfare of his fellow countrymen, and never asked an 
advantage for himself. He died poorer than he was 
born, although for seven years he was in absolute 
control of the Bulgarian finances and for ten years 
previous was able to command anything in the way of 
remuneration that he desired. 

Recognizing that public sentiment in Europe would 
not approve an empty throne in Bulgaria, Stambouloff 
dispatched a deputation to find a king. They made 
advances to several cadets of the royal houses, but 
found it very difficult to select a man of proper quali- 
fications who was not so involved by ties of relation- 
ship as to excite jealousy among the great Powers. 
The story goes that they were on their way back to 
Bulgaria when they met an acquaintance in a beer 
garden at Vienna. Learning their business, he 
remarked: 

"That young officer sitting at the table yonder is 
just the man you want. He is Ferdinand of Saxe- 
Coburg and Gotha, grandson of Louis Philippe of 
France, and a cousin of every crowned head in Europe. 
He is a favorite of the Emperor of Austria and the 
Emperor of Russia and a man of great wealth." 



RECENT HISTORY AND POLITICS 179 

At that time Ferdinand held a commission in the 
Austrian army and was stationed in Vienna. The 
committee accepted the suggestion eagerly, conferred 
with the prime minister of Austria the next morning, 
communicated with Stambouloff at Sofia by telegraph, 
and within forty-eight hours offered the throne of Bul- 
garia to the young prince, who was not yet twenty- 
four years of age. The selection was approved by all 
the European Powers except Russia. Czar Alexander 
III. had no personal objection to the prince, but his 
policy was to boycott Bulgaria as long as Stambouloff 
and the Liberal party, then in power, continued to defy 
him. 

The regents resigned. Prince Ferdinand ascended the 
throne, and appointed Stambouloff to the post of prime 
minister, which he occupied continuously until May, 
1894. During that time he absolutely controlled the 
policy of the government and the opinions of the 
prince. For the first three or four years the two got 
on without friction, and Ferdinand was a willing agent 
of his minister; but as he grew older, particularly after 
his marriage in 1893, he became restless under the 
yoke, showed signs of independence, and, probably 
through the influence of his wife, began to yearn for 
the social and official recognition of Russia, which up 
to that time had absolutely ignored him. If Stam- 
bouloff had shown more tact in dealing with his sov- 
ereign and more deference towards the bride the latter 
had brought to Bulgaria, he might have continued at 
the head of the government indefinitely, but he made 
no effort to conceal, either from the public or the 
court, the fact that the prince was merely his puppet, 
and when the latter showed signs of self-assertion 
drew the curb even more firmly upon him. The 



i8o The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

Princess Marie Louise of Bourbon, daughter of 
the Duke of Parma, whom Ferdinand married in 
1893, first aroused his pride and stimulated his 
independence, and finally acquired sufficient influ- 
ence over her husband to persuade him to resist 
Stambouloff. 

Both she and Ferdinand were ambitious to advance 
their position and power. Instead of being registered 
in the almanacs as "princes" they wanted to be called 
king and queen, and actually had crowns made at 
Munich in anticipation of a favorable vote in the 
Sobranje. But Stambouloff, who despised pomp and 
pretensions like the true democrat that he was, and 
looked forward to a time when Bulgaria should have a 
republican form of government, opposed the aspira- 
tions of his sovereigns, and a quarrel occurred which 
ended with his retirement from the ministry and the 
selection of Mr. Stoiloff, his bitterest enemy, as his 
successor. Stambouloff might have weathered the 
storm but for his own arrogance and a domestic 
scandal in which his most trusted subordinate was 
involved. In a moment of pique and anger he wrote 
a hasty letter, resigning the office of prime minister, 
which the prince, under the influence of his wife, was 
only too glad to receive and promptly accept. 

Immediately after, following the example of his 
great prototype, the Bulgarian Bismarck unbosomed 
himself to a sympathetic friend who happened to be 
correspondent of a German newspaper, and in most 
sarcastic and disrespectful terms discussed the weak- 
nesses of his sovereign and the Princess Marie, and 
grossly violated confidence by relating several amusing 
and rather humiliating incidents that had occurred 
during his experience with them. This indiscretion 



RECENT HISTORY AND POLITICS i8i 

was the ruin of Stambouloff. The interview was 
republished with unfavorable comments in every city of 
Europe and in all the Bulgarian papers; even those 
that had formerly given him a cordial support. The 
public was disgusted and the indignation of the royal 
household knew no bounds. Prince Ferdinand actu- 
ally went into court with a suit for defamation of char- 
acter against his former prime minister; he discharged 
from office every man who was suspected of being a 
sympathizer of Stambouloff; ordered the arrest of 
several of the ex-minister's confidential associates for 
malfeasance; revoked pensions that he had granted to 
those who had served their country faithfully under 
Stambouloff' s direction; confiscated the property of 
several of his supporters and by other means terrified 
almost every man in Bulgaria who had been loyal to 
Stambouloff. The Bulgarians are a fickle people, and 
within a few weeks were ready to stone their former 
idol. His fall was complete. Even the parliament, 
which he had absolutely controlled so long, passed a 
law confiscating his property, although it was almost 
worthless. Stambouloff attempted to escape from the 
storm, but, by order of the prince, the police forbade 
him to leave the country. 

Russia took advantage of the situation to encourage 
Ferdinand's spirit of independence, and immediately 
after the dismissal of Stambouloff removed the boycott 
that had been declared against Bulgaria seven years 
before. The Czar Nicholas recognized Ferdinand in a 
formal manner and sent a diplomatic agent to Sofia, 
who has gradually acquired an influence over the prince 
and a control over the government that are now almost 
absolute. Ferdinand might as well be the governor 
of a Russian province. 



i82 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

Although the recognition from Russia which he 
yearned for was finally obtained, Prince Ferdinand has 
entirely forfeited the respect of Europe and the confi- 
dence of the other Powers, because of certain events 
that have occurred in Sofia since the change of minis- 
try. One night in July, 1895, a little more than a year 
after his retirement, and when he was beginning to 
show signs of recovering his political influence, 
Stambouloff was cruelly assassinated while walking 
home from his club. One of the assassins was identi- 
fied without the slightest difficulty by Stambouloff 
himself, by a friend who accompanied him and by a 
servant who was following them. Three men were 
engaged in the crime. Their leader was a political 
adventurer named Michael Stavreff, or Michael Malieu 
as he is usually called, who had been identified 
with the Russian party in Sofia and had frequently 
been employed by the Russian minister on confidential 
missions. 

It was firmly believed by the friends of Stambouloff 
and the members of the anti-Russian element from the 
beginning that Stavreff was hired to commit the mur- 
der, and the fact that the assassin was permitted to 
remain unpunished, and was not even arrested was 
assumed to be evidence that the government sympa- 
thized with the crime. The indifference of Prince Fer- 
dinand excited unfavorable comment throughout 
Europe, and he has never recovered the respect of the 
courts or the people. Stavreff was a familiar object 
of interest about Sofia, a habitue of the cafes, and an 
active participant in political affairs, being frequently 
pointed out to strangers as an object of interest — the 
man who had killed the prime minister; and while he 
never acknowledged his guilt, seemed to enjoy his 



RECENT HISTORY AND POLITICS 183 

notoriety. His source of revenue was a matter of some 
curiosity, and it was the popular opinion that he was 
drawing a pension from the government or from some 
person in power. 

As his intemperate habits grew upon him he lost 
control of his tongue, and frequently uttered mysteri- 
ous hints of secrets which he might disclose if certain 
prominent ofificials did not treat him with greater con- 
sideration. He became reckless in gambling as well 
as dissipation, and his losses made him bolder and less 
discreet in his allusions, until in October 24, 1902, he 
was arrested, secretly tried in prison with great haste, 
and condemned to death for the assassination of Stam- 
bouloff more than seven years previous. It was offi- 
cially announced that he had made a full confession of 
his guilt. 

Shortly after this announcement there appeared 
upon the streets of Sofia lithographed facsimiles of 
letters in the handwriting of Mr. Ludskanoff, the min- 
ister of the interior, who had ordered the arrest and 
execution of Stavreff, showing conclusively that he had 
employed that desperado to assassinate not only Stam- 
bouloff, but also Mr. Vulkovitch, who, until his death 
in 1892, in ability and influence was second only to 
Stamboulpff in the anti-Russian party. At that time 
Ludskanoff was the leader of the pro-Russian faction, 
and fled from the country to escape arrest for com- 
plicity in the assassination of Vulkovitch. Stam- 
bouloff issued a decree of perpetual banishment against 
him, and he did not return to Bulgaria until a procla- 
mation of universal amnesty was issued after Stam- 
bouloff's death. Upon his return Ludskanoff, who is 
a man of force and ability, resumed his former prom- 
inence in politics, entered the parliament, and for 



1 84 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

several years has been a member of the ministry, and 
an obedient tool of Russian influence. 

The publication of the incriminating letters naturally 
created a profound sensation, especially as they were 
followed, in a few days, by several others of similar 
character, and caused a dissolution of the cabinet. It 
was immediately reorganized, however, and Ludskanoff 
was reappointed to the ministry of the interior; the 
prime minister, Mr. Kavachoff, explaining that the 
proclamation of amnesty was a full pardon for any 
offenses with which his colleagues might have been 
connected, which seems to have been satisfactory to 
the Russian sympathizers. 

The police were not able to ascertain the source of 
the mysterious publications, but it was the popular 
opinion that the letters were intrusted by Stavreff to 
loyal friends to be used for his protection in an emer- 
gency. They appear to have served their purpose, for 
at this writing Stavreff has not been executed, although 
he still remains in solitary confinement under sentence 
of death. 

In 1900 Prince Ferdinand was guilty of another act 
of an entirely different character, which brought down 
upon him the undisguised condemnation of every 
Catholic country and civilization generally. Upon his 
marriage with Marie Louise of Orleans, Ferdinand 
made a vow that their children should be baptized and 
educated in the Roman Catholic Church. This was 
one of the stipulations insisted upon by the father and 
family of the bride. Ferdinand is himself a Roman 
Catholic by birth and baptism. He has erected a 
chapel in the palace, has a Roman Catholic chaplain, 
and attends mass each morning at seven o'clock. 
While making his annual visits to an Austrian watering- 



RECENT HISTORY AND POLITICS 185 

place he never fails to attend mass daily at a public 
church, and has otherwise shown a devout and consist- 
ent spirit. But no sooner was his wife buried in 1899 
than he placed his eldest son, the Crown Prince Boris, 
a child five years old and the future king of Bulgaria, 
in charge of a Russian priest of the Greek Church, who 
secretly baptized and is now educating the boy in that 
faith. This is said to have been done at the suggestion 
of Russia, but no one believes that the Czar thinks any 
better of him for it, while the Emperor of Austria, the 
King of Italy, the German Emperor and other sover- 
eigns of Europe have publicly expressed their disap- 
proval of the proceeding. The other children are 
being brought up in the faith of their parents. 

Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria spends very little time 
at his capital. There is not much there to attract his 
interest. The affairs of state are carefully looked after 
by Mr. Bakhmeteff, the Russian representative, and 
the members of the ministry; social and intellectual 
diversions are almost unknown, and the prince has a 
hobby which he can pursue with greater satisfaction at 
Varna, where he has a country palace on the shores of 
the Black Sea. He is an accomplished naturalist, and 
spends much of his time hunting and classifying insects, 
plants and other phenomena of animate and inanimate 
nature. He has catalogued nearly all the flora and 
fauna of Bulgaria and has established in Sofia a very 
respectable zoological garden at his own expense. 

Although a grandson of Louis Philippe, the prince 
has the nose of Louis Napoleon, and is said to bear a 
singular resemblance to the last emperor of France, 
both in disposition and character. His nose is a grati- 
fication to the caricaturists. It is so conspicuous that 
it answers for a trade-mark, and they are able to play 



1 86 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

upon it with great ingenuity. He is altogether a 
clever and accomplished gentleman, a skillful politi- 
cian with an accommodating conscience, and very dif- 
ferent from his predecessor, Alexander of Battenberg. 
He has inherited the manners of his French ancestors, 
as well as their insincerity, and can wriggle out of a 
tight place, they say, more gracefully than any other 
prince in Europe. Alexander was a Lutheran and 
encouraged Protestant missionary work, Ferdinand 
does not object, to the missionary invasion, because 
the constitution guarantees free worship and the police 
protect the Protestants in case of disturbance. 

Prince Ferdinand had a brief but happy married life. 
Marie Louise lived about six years after marriage and 
had four children — Boris, born January 30, 1894; Cyril, 
born November 17, 1895; Eudoxie, born January 17, 
1898, and Madeja, born January 30, 1899. The late 
Queen died on the day following the birth of her young- 
est child. They are all interesting children, and are 
being carefully trained after European methods. 

The patron saint of Bulgaria is St John of Ryle, 
although Christianity was introduced into the country 
by St. Methodias. Originally a shepherd, John of 
Ryle became a monk and ascetic, and lived for twenty 
years in the hollow of an oak tree in the mountains 
that divide Bulgaria and Macedonia, which are now 
called by his name. He then removed to an inacces- 
sible rock, under which was afterwards built in his 
honor what is known as the Ryle Monastery. It is an 
extensive building of medieval architecture and one of 
the most picturesque objects in Bulgaria. It lies in 
the midst of beautiful mountain scenery two days' 
journey south of Sofia, and is frequently visited by 
tourists, who are hospitably entertained by the monks. 



- '^.-r^Tf^T.y.S'tw 




RECENT HISTORY AND POLITICS 187 

The old monastery has come to considerable notori- 
ety recently, because of a report that Miss Stone was 
concealed within its walls, and the building was 
thoroughly searched,by the soldiers under orders from 
the government at Sofia.. This invasion and profana- 
tion of the holy place caused great indignation among 
members of the Greek Church throughout Bulgaria, 
who blamed the American missionaries and threatened 
reprisals. The hostility of the monks against mission- 
ary proselyting is much more bitter and vindictive than 
is shown by the regular parish clergy, because the 
latter as a rule are better educated. They mingle with 
the world, and therefore are more liberal in their views 
on all subjects. 

It is not altogether certain that the monks of St. 
Ryle are blameless of complicity in Miss Stone's 
abduction, but there is no proof that they had any 
share in or knowledge of the outrage. The suspicion 
is based upon knowledge of previous circumstances. 
Their relation with the brigands has always been 
friendly, and in olden times the secluded situation of 
the monastery made it a convenient rendezvous for 
enterprising gentlemen who ordinarily pursued peaceful 
vocations in the fields and pastures, but took to the 
road whenever tempted by favorable opportunities or 
pressed by necessity. They are said to have given 
liberally of their booty to the monks and to have 
brought to their table much game and other food 
supplies from the mountains. In return for this gen- 
erosity the monks often afforded them an asylum when 
they were pressed by the police, gave them shelter in 
stormy weather, concealed their arms and ammunition, 
and permitted them to use the monastery as a meeting 
place before and after their raids. It would be per- 



1 88 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

fectly natural for the bandits who captured Miss Stone 
to take their captives to St. Ryle for the night or for 
a longer period if they happened to be in that locality, 
and, acting upon this knowledge of their habits, the 
government ordered the place to be searched. The 
monastery has withstood many a siege, and has been 
the scene of slaughter and suffering as well as devo- 
tion during every epoch of Bulgarian history. The 
fanaticism of the Moslems is recorded upon the 
frescoes that represent Christian saints and legends, by 
numerous gashes made by scimiters and punctures by 
yataghans. The cells are damp and narrow and 
without creature comforts, but the holy fathers seem 
to be contented, and judging from their appear- 
ance have not entirely denied themselves carnal pleas- 
ures. 

John of Ryle lived in the tenth century and died in 
the year 976. St. Methodias lived from 852 to 888. 
The monastery was originally built in the eleventh 
century. In those days Bulgaria was a powerful 
nation, and its opulence and the magnificence of its 
court were the wonder of the world. The ruins of the 
palaces of the Bulgarian czars at Tirnova, the ancient 
capital, are extensive and still show evidences of their 
original splendor. The walls were decorated with gold 
and inlaid with mosaics of gilded glass. The pillars 
were of polished marble, and much bronze was used in 
ornamentation. In the early chronicles we catch a 
glimpse of the czar who sat upon a throne of ivory 
ornamented with gold, silver and precious stones, in an 
audience chamber of marble. His robe was trimmed 
with pearls, his girdle glistened with diamonds, his 
armor tinkled with the chains of gold coin that hung 
about his neck and shoulders. The bracelets, anklets 



RECENT HISTORY AND POLITICS 189 

and collars which he wore were embossed with jewels 
of great price, and his scepter was set with rubies, 
diamonds, sapphires and other precious stones, like 
those that can now be seen among the relics of early 
Russian history in the Kremlin at Moscow. 

Tirnova, the ancient capital, still stands, a pictur- 
esque study, upon the rocky walls of a rapid river. Its 
streets run up and down the slopes of the hills; its 
houses are perched upon rocks. Ingenious warriors in 
olden times utilized the limestone cliffs which sur- 
round it and rise to altitudes of seven or eight 
hundred feet, for fortifications, partly natural and 
partly artificial. Among them appear groups of gayly 
painted houses separated by the heavy foliage of the 
venerable trees and luxurious gardens. The domes of 
the Greek churches, the minarets of the mosques, the 
clock towers, steeples and the French roofs of modern 
buildings form a curious architectural medley. The 
East and West meet in this romantic little place, where 
nature seems to have forbidden a city to be built. 

In the center of the town, upon the longest street, is 
a natural bridge of stone spanning a deep chasm, 
through which the river Jantra flows. It is not so 
high nor so wide by half as the natural bridge of Vir- 
ginia, but is equally curious, and being in the center of 
a city is, of course, of greater interest. Some histo- 
rians assert that both the causeway and the chasm 
were cut by human hands as a protection to the citadel 
which stands upon the other side. If this is true it 
was an ingenious device, and before the days of gun- 
powder and heavy artillery the place must have been 
impregnable. 

Ancient history occasionally appears in a most 
startling manner, and it is often difficult to realize that 



I90 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

you are actually gazing upon buildings and scenes that 
are identified with the most romantic episodes of 
human history. Here, in the tower of this picturesque 
castle, Baldwin, the Frank crusader who accompanied 
Richard the Lion-Hearted and became Emperor of 
Constantinople, was confined as a prisoner. He was 
defeated at Adrianople by the Bulgarian army under 
the Czar Kalojan, and brought to Tirnova, where he 
was imprisoned for several years, and is said to have 
been buried alive. They call it "Baldwin's Tower," 
and although partially ruined it is still sufficiently 
preserved to give one an idea of its original appear- 
ance, and its walls and windows look out upon one of 
the most beautiful views in the world. 

Attached to the palace of the Bulgarian czars were 
gardens filled with fruit trees and flowering plants 
whose traces still remain until the present day. 
Wherever the earth is turned or a cellar is dug for a 
new building, vestiges of former grandeur and some- 
times relics of the Roman occupation are disclosed. 
Lying by the roadside are mutilated remains of 
marble pillars and pedestals; capitals with bulls' 
heads and wreaths exquisitely carved; discs of 
glazed pottery and gilded glass; pieces of molding 
with bronze still clinging to them; quartz enameled 
with colors and gold, and sometimes fragments of 
plaster still retaining the colors of a fresco. 



THE PEOPLE OF BULGARIA 

Bulgaria is about as big as Pennsylvania, has a 
similar shape, and reminds one very much of that 
State, because of the resemblance in topography and 
other physical features. The forests and the rivers 
watering rich valleys, the mountain ranges, the rocky 
ledges, and the landscape generally are very much like 
the Quaker State. The population is about thirty per 
cent less. The Danube River forms the northern 
boundary of Bulgaria, and much of the produce of the 
state goes out, and much of its imported merchandise 
comes in upon enormous barges towed in strings from 
Budapest and from Vienna. Austria monopolizes the 
trade in manufactured merchandise. During the summer 
season the passenger steamers on the Danube offer a 
very pleasant voyage through Hungary, Servia, Bul- 
garia and Roumania to the Black Sea, but in the dry 
season in the fall the water is low, fogs are frequent 
and the air is too cool to sit on the deck, hence a trip 
by train is more agreeable. You can go to Sofia from 
Vienna by rail in twenty-four hours in comfortable 
sleeping-cars and good dining-cars, in which table 
dhote meals are served at city prices, but the fares 
are very high. 

The Orient Express, which is the great railway train 
of Europe, and runs from Calais and Ostend through 
Germany and France to Constantinople three times a 
week, is a pretentious humbug when judged by Amer- 
ican standards. The distance between Vienna and 
Sofia is about the same as between Philadelphia and 
Pittsburg, but it takes twice as long to make the 

191 



192 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

journey, and the fare is about four times as much. 
The extra fare, or supplement, as they call it, 
demanded for the privilege of riding upon this famous 
train, is forty-four francs between those two cities, or 
$8.40, which is about full fare between Philadelphia 
and Pittsburg, and instead of getting a wide berth in a 
Pullman sleeper for $2 you have to pay ^3.80 for a 
night's lodging in a stuffy little closet. The beds 
are comfortable, but the space is so narrow that 
it is scarcely safe to roll over, and the only way to 
ventilate the compartment is to open a window 
directly over your head. The ordinary trains are only 
two hours slower than the Orient Express; they are 
equally well equipped, run every day and the charge is 
only about one-half as much. 

Bulgaria has several railroads, running to the Black 
Sea, to Bucharest and to Salonika on the Mediterra- 
nean, in addition to the trunk line to Constantinople. 
They belong to the government, and seem to be well 
managed, although they make very slow time. The 
Orient Express sometimes works up a speed of twenty 
miles an hour, but averages about eighteen, and that is 
considered remarkable. The entire railway system 
aggregates nine hundred and nine miles, with one 
hundred and thirty miles of new track under construc- 
tion. Telephone and telegraph wires, belonging to 
the government, are stretched all over the country, 
the telephone service being a great improvement upon 
that of Germany, which, however, is the worst I have 
ever found — so bad that foreigners will not use a tele- 
phone if they can possibly avoid it. I have often 
thought that perhaps some of the German parts of 
speech are too big to send over an ordinary wire, that 
perhaps the wear and tear of the telephone instru- 



THE PEOPLE OF BULGARIA 193 

ments is too great for them to endure; but an eminent 
professor in the University of Berlin, to whom I sug- 
gested this one evening, thought I was in earnest and 
punished my impudence by holding me up in a corner 
for half an hour while he demonstrated the absurdity 
of the proposition. Moral— Never try to joke with 
German professors. 

The eastern boundary of Bulgaria is the Black Sea; 
on the west is the Kingdom of Servia, and on the 
south the Rhodope chain of mountains divides it from 
the Turkish province of Eastern Rumelia, or Macedonia, 
as that portion south of Bulgaria is commonly called. 
The Balkan Mountains, like the Alleghanies in Penn- 
sylvania, bisect the country east and west and divide 
it into two provinces. In some parts we find beautiful 
undulating landscapes and at intervals long expanses 
of elevated plateaus varying from twelve hundred to 
two thousand feet above the sea, which lie between 
the mountain ranges. These plains are irrigated and 
drained by several important streams, the most inter- 
esting being the Jantra, which winds among the moun- 
tains through high limestone gorges, and furnishes a 
picturesque feature to the topography. There are no 
large cities in Bulgaria, but several important towns, 
each of which has its marked peculiarities: 

POPULATION 

Sofia 46,593 

Rustchuk 37,174 

Tirnova 25,295 

Shumla 23,517 

Plevna 23,178 

Razgrad 21,551 

Orehovo 20,054 

Philippopolis 41,068 

Varna 28,174 ~ 

Orehovitsa 25,013 

Slivno 23,210 

Tatar Pazarjik 22,056 

Vidin 29,044 



194 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

There are several other towns of less than twenty 
thousand and more than ten thousand population, but 
three-fourths of the inhabitants are engaged in agri- 
cultural and pastoral pursuits, most of them being 
small farmers, cultivating from one to six acres, and 
having, large flocks and herds which graze at large. 
Theoretically, the state owns all the land, and the 
people are tenants with perpetual leases, descending 
from generation to generation, who pay one-tenth of 
all their products to the state, usually in kind, in lieu 
of rental and taxes. The pasture land is free, and is 
held in common by unwritten and unrecorded titles by 
those who occupy it with their flocks and herds. The 
forests have also been free until recently, and anyone 
who chose to do so was at liberty to cut whatever 
timber he needed for his own use without payment, but 
the police exercised a supervisory authority to prevent 
the wholesale destruction of the trees for commercial 
purposes. Forty-seven per cent of the entire territory 
is in pasture, and sheep, goats, cattle, horses and pigs 
are raised in large numbers. The wool product of 
Bulgaria is the greatest source of wealth, and is sent 
to Austria and Germany. The exports of hides and 
skins are next in value, not less than five million sheep 
pelts being shipped annually. The principal agricul- 
tural product is wheat, which goes to Germany and 
Turkey, and a very important and profitable industry 
is the distillation of attar of roses, which is carried on 
in the provinces bordering on the Black Sea. 

The Bulgarians have a language of their own, a sort 
of dialect of the Russian, which bears the same rela- 
tion to that language as the Scotch bears to the 
English. There are Greek letters in their alphabet 
and Greek words in their vocabulary, but the language 



THE PEOPLE OF BULGARIA 195 

is Slavonic. No Bulgarian could understand a Greek, 
and vice versa, and a Russian peasant could not con- 
verse with a Bulgarian peasant any more readily than 
a Highlander could talk with a costermonger from 
Whitechapel, because each has his local idioms; but 
educated Russians and Bulgarians can understand each 
other even if each talks in his own language. Rus- 
sians can read Bulgarian newspapers very readily. 
Philologists are of the opinion that the Bulgarian 
language is quite as close to the old Slav tongue as the 
Russian, and it is a curious fact that many words may 
be traced to the old Thracian and Illyrian tongues. 
The Slavs drove the original population into the 
mountains and seized their lands on the plains, but in 
the second half of the seventh century a horde of 
uncouth warriors crossed the Danube, subjugated the 
Slavs, and their descendants have since occupied the 
territory which bears their name. The Bulgarians are 
of mysterious origin. The source from which they 
came has never been satisfactorily determined. Some 
ethnologists argue that they were Finns, others 
believe they were Tartars, but the greatest weight of 
evidence seems to fix their former residence on the 
banks of the Volga River. They were without a 
history, which is a singular thing for so vigorous, 
progressive and intelligent a race. It is a curious 
coincidence that the Bulgarians lost their language but 
kept their name, while the Slavs, whom they subdued, 
lost their name but kept their language. 

Sofia, the capital and commercial center, is situated 
in the southwestern corner of Bulgaria on an elevated 
plain, at the base of Mount Vitosch, a beautiful peak 
seven thousand eight hundred feet high. Its head is 
usually clothed in the clouds, and perpetual snow lies 



196 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

in the wrinkles upon its face. The cloud movements 
and other atmospheric effects add greatly to its pic- 
turesqueness, and in autumn the forests which cover 
its breast are vivid with scarlet and yellow foliage, which 
reaches to the snow line and affords a striking and 
lovely contrast. The base of the mountain is only a 
few miles from the city, and excursions to it are one 
of the few amusements in which foreigners can indulge 
in warm weather. They have very little diversion. 
There are no theaters — only one little vaudeville show — 
no concerts, except occasionally by a military band 
attached to the palace, and only a limited amount of 
social entertainment. The foreign colony must there- 
fore find its fun in driving, riding, picnicking and 
playing tennis. Golf has not been introduced, for the 
natives take little interest in such sports. The foreign 
colony is small, and limited almost entirely to the 
diplomatic representatives of the European countries. 
A few Austrians and Germans are engaged in business 
affairs, several Belgian engineers run the electric-light 
and street-car lines, and there are one Englishman and 
two or three Americans, mostly missionary teachers. 

The city covers a considerable area, and looks as if 
a building boom had been suddenly checked, which is 
true. Prince Alexander was a great promoter. Under 
his administration Bulgaria made extraordinary 
progress, and Sofia started upon a promising career. 
Stambouloff took up the work where Alexander left it 
at his abdication, and carried out many of his schemes, 
but since the "Bulgarian Bismarck" was relieved as 
prime minister, little has been done in the way of 
public or private improvement. The stagnation is 
said to be due in a measure to a lack of confidence in 
the stability of the present government, and to the 



THE PEOPLE OF BULGARIA 197 

fact that Prince Ferdinand Is Interested In other 
things. One must infer that he takes little pride in 
the appearance of his capital and does not encourage 
the expenditure of money upon public works. 

Shortly before he retired, Stambouloff purchased an 
entire block of ground opposite the palace, upon 
which he intended to erect a magnificent building for 
the offices of the government. The plans were drawn 
by an Austrian architect, excavations were made for 
the foundation and cellars, and a large quantity of cut 
stone was delivered by the contractors. A few days 
after Stambouloff' s retirement work was suspended and 
has never been resumed. Several train loads of granite 
lie scattered over the ground; the cellar is half-filled 
with water during the wet season and overgrown with 
weeds during the dry months. Every stranger who 
comes to Sofia instinctively asks an explanation, but 
Prince Ferdinand, who always has this reproachful 
panorama before him, seems to be entirely indifferent 
to it. The palace is a fine building in French style, 
surrounded by pleasant grounds, and facing a public 
park that is well laid out with foliage plants and 
fountains, and is a pleasure ground for the people. 

The old city, or the Turkish quarter, as it is 
called, resembles a patch of Constantinople, and has 
the low adobe walls, the heavy tiled roofs, the deep 
windows and the narrow streets of all oriental cities, 
with long blocks of bazaars kept by Turks and Jews, 
who have most of their wares displayed upon the side- 
walks. This Is by far the most interesting section of 
the town to strangers. The shops are open, so that 
the visitor is enabled to watch the artisans at their 
work. The trades seem to be grouped together — the 
shoemakers in one bunch, the tailors in another, the 



198 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

butchers, bakers, brassworkers, tinsmiths and other 
people in the same trade occupying adjoining houses. 

Most of the natives wear unshorn sheepskin clothing, 
with the wool next to the body, the leather side being 
tanned to a soft white, velvety appearance like buck- 
skin; and the most interesting occupation is that of the 
tailors, who make all sorts of queer-looking garments 
from sheepskins. Many of the men wear short jackets 
of the Eton pattern, but as the weather grows colder 
they change them for warmer garments, and some 
have long ulsters with wide skirts which reach to their 
heels. The rest of their clothing is the natural color 
of the wool woven into heavy fabrics; their headgear 
is made of lamb's wool curled like the skating caps 
sometimes worn in the United States. They are 
called kalpaks. 

In the new part of the city the streets are wide, and 
in the business portion are lined with fine buildings of 
stuccoed brick, ornamented with elaborate moldings 
similar to those of Germany and Austria. The resi- 
dence portion is only partially built up, there being 
wide gaps between the houses, showing the town lots 
that have been held for speculative purposes and 
where building schemes have been abandoned. If 
Sofia were as closely built as the ordinary European 
city it could accommodate three times its present pop- 
ulation. Occasionally a stately residence rises from 
behind a forbidding wall. The foliage around it indi- 
cates a garden, but Bulgarian civilization has not 
passed the period when it is prudent to omit any 
means of protection. The streets and sidewalks are 
in a horrible condition. In the business portion of the 
city the roadways are paved with cobblestones and the 
sidewalks are well laid with flags, tiles and bricks. 



THE PEOPLE OF BULGARIA 199 

Each householder In the residence portion is expected 
to lay the sidewalk in front of his premises, but many 
of them neglect to do so. 

Several imposing buildings were erected for govern- 
ment purposes during the reign of Prince Alexander, 
usually of French architecture, and among other things 
a Protestant church (he was a Lutheran), which Ferdi- 
nand has converted into a riding-school. The military 
barracks, schoolhouses, the public printing office, a 
technical school and other public buildings are credit- 
able, but lose much of their dignity by being scattered 
over the city, with unsightly spaces of open ground 
and half-finished buildings that have been abandoned 
between them. Several former Turkish mosques have 
been converted to secular uses and are now occupied 
as prisons, markets, warehouses and arsenals. The 
largest mosque, in the center of the city, and only a 
stone's throw from the palace, was recently fitted up 
for a national museum. 

Although Sofia is still primitive in many respects, 
modern ideas are rapidly growing in favor and there is 
nothing in the new part of the town to recall the 
recent Turkish occupation. The citizens very gener- 
ally wear modern European clothing. The only place 
one can see the native costume is at the market in the 
early morning, where the country people bring vege- 
tables and dairy products for sale. There are two 
hotels with comfortable rooms and excellent tables, a 
club that would be an ornament to any city in Europe, 
and other features of modern civilization quite as 
advanced as are to be found in Austria or Germany. 
The streets, public buildings, hotels and many private 
houses are lighted by electricity. Electric street-cars 
run in every direction, owned and managed by a 



200 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

Belgian company. The fare is three cents for first- 
class passengers and two cents for second-class. The 
cars are divided in the middle by a partition, and the 
only difference between the two classes is that one sits 
upon red-plush cushions and the other upon wooden 
benches. The conductors change the cushions from 
one part of the car to the other at each end of the 
trip. 

The Bulgarian army is composed of thirty thousand 
men, well drilled, equipped in the German style, and 
organized by Russian officers upon the Russian system. 
Every man between the ages of twenty and twenty- 
four years is obliged to do military duty for five years, 
although Mohammedans may escape service by the 
payment of a special tax. Persons exempted on account 
of infirmities are also required to pay special taxes. 
On an average forty thousand young men become of 
military age annually, but, as the government does not 
need and cannot pay so many, about one-third of this 
number are drawn by lot for service, so that the actual 
time spent in the army is two years instead of five as 
required by law. The reserves, numbering about 200,000, 
can be called into service upon a few days' notice, 
provided there is money in the treasury to meet the 
expense. There is a military academy at Sofia at 
which officers are educated, and to enter that institution 
and graduate with a commission in the army is the 
highest ambition of every Bulgarian youth The offi- 
cers about town are a handsome lot of fellows, with 
pleasant manners, fine physique, intelligent faces and 
soldierly carriage. The natives are all natural horse- 
men, and a squadron of Bulgarian cavalry is a worthy 
object of admiration. The uniforms are similar to those 
of Germany. None but an expert could distinguish the 




MILITARY CLUB AT SOFIA 



THE PEOPLE OF BULGARIA 201 

difference, and the garrison of Sofia must be very large, 
because uniformed men are so numerous in the streets. 
The army is kept up to a high degree of efificiency 
because trouble with Turkey is always anticipated, and 
may occur at any moment. The Bulgarians have dedi- 
cated themselves as a nation to the emancipation of 
their neighbors and relatives in Macedonia, and are 
only waiting a favorable opportunity to strike. Their 
great difificulty is money. Their treasury is empty and 
their national credit is exhausted, but they will seize 
every opportunity that is offered for a coup d'etat. Pol- 
itics seems to monopolize the attention of everybody, 
and the entire Bulgarian population is involved in a 
perpetual intrigue with the freedom of the Macedo- 
nians as its object. 

The native horses are small, but nervy and enduring. 
Domesticated buffaloes of the Asiatic species are used 
for draft animals. They are not so noble in appear- 
ance as the great American bison. Their necks are 
not shaggy, their heads are smaller and more like that 
of ordinary oxen. Their coats are smooth and sleek, 
and the only resemblance to the bison which formerly 
roamed over our prairies is the horns. 

There are several excellent schools in Sofia. The 
technical school at the foot of the mountain in the 
suburbs of the city is a model institution, and one of 
the most interesting and complete of its kind I have 
ever visited. It gives a practical training in the 
trades and applied sciences to one hundred or more 
young men. The standard of education is not high, 
but that is not needed in Bulgaria. What the country 
requires is a practical training of its mechanics in the 
different trades, as the people are generally devoted to 
agriculture and most of the artisans are foreigners. 



202 The TURiC and his LOST PROVINCES 

The working classes are comparatively well off. 
There is no lack of employment for all those who are 
willing to work, and there is a growing demand for 
skilled mechanics, who receive much higher wages 
than in Germany and Austria, Masons, carpenters, 
cabinet-makers, painters, stone-cutters and other 
skilled laborers earn from 1^1.25 to ^2.50 a day, and 
ordinary laborers earn from forty to eighty cents a 
day, which is nearly double the average earnings of 
people of the same classes in other European countries. 

Meat and vegetables are cheap, and the diet of the 
laboring people is much more nourishing than is usual 
throughout Europe. The family of a Bulgarian 
laborer is quite as well fed as are their brethren in the 
United States. Except in the large cities the peasantry 
live upon their own produce and dress in garments of 
sheepskin, cotton or wool, that are made by them- 
selves. Taxes are moderate, compared with Germany 
and France; they are no greater than in Norway and 
Sweden, although the peasants complain bitterly of the 
extravagance of Prince Ferdinand and the amount of 
money spent for military purposes. The working 
classes are ardent politicians and are devoted to the 
cause of Macedonian freedom. They contribute their 
money as liberally and as patiently as the servant girls 
in the United States to the Irish cause, and their faith 
is not weakened by the knowledge that the funds are 
often squandered in dissipation by their leaders. 

The administration of justice is mild, the police sys- 
tem is purely political, and, while the management of 
the courts is perhaps not as perfect as in more highly 
civilized countries, I am told that bribery is unknown. 
Political influence, and particularly the "pull" of the 
Macedonian Committee, is all-powerful, however. It 



THE PEOPLE OF BULGARIA 203 

is practically out of the question to convict of crime 
any man who has been active or conspicuous in this 
patriotic movement. It appears possible for any dis- 
reputable fellow to violate all the ten commandments 
with impunity so long as he goes about the cafes 
shouting the battle cry of freedom for Macedonia. 

The Jewish population of the Bulgarian cities is 
quite large and practically monopolizes the banking 
and mercantile business. They are the descendants of 
the large colony of Jews who were expelled from 
Spain during the reigns of Ferdinand and Isabella and 
Philip II. and found their way by the Mediterranean 
to the Balkan Provinces. The Spanish language is 
still spoken in their intercourse among themselves. 
While the Jews are not persecuted in Bulgaria as in 
Roumania, they are ostracized and subjected to much 
injustice. It is not considered dishonest to swindle a 
Jew if such a thing is possible, and they are contempt- 
uously and roughly treated; but, on the other hand, 
they are in a great measure to blame for the prejudice 
against them because of their sharp practices and 
extortionate methods in business affairs. They have 
no mercy upon a Christian if he once gets into their 
power, and the spirit of retaliation seems quite as 
strong with them as with their enemies. 

Generally speaking, Bulgaria has no manufactories, 
although mechanical industries of various sorts are 
being introduced upon a small scale. There is plenty 
of convenient water-power and raw material. The 
mineral wealth of the country is mythical. There are 
stories of deposits of coal and ores in the mountains, 
but they are unexplored. Ninety-five per cent of the 
population are engaged in agriculture, and the 
peasants are in a fairly prosperous condition. They 



204 The TURK mid his LOST PROVINCES 

are ingenious as well as industrious, but show little 
tendency to make use of modern improvements and 
foreign merchandise, or to depart from the habits of 
thrift so characteristic of their race. It pays them 
well to produce and export cattle, sheep, hides, wool, 
wheat, corn, tobacco, the oil of roses, fruits and vege- 
tables, and to supply their own wants by the work of 
their own hands as far as possible. Most of their 
clothing is of wool, grown and sheared upon their own 
farms, spun and woven in their own cabins, cut and 
made by the members of their own household. For- 
merly large quantities of cotton goods were imported 
from England and Germany, but they have learned 
that cotton will grow in Bulgaria, and a little patch is 
now found beside nearly every cabin, which is ginned, 
spun and woven by the women, like the wool. 

Their taste is artistic. The women do beautiful 
embroidery, and their cotton garments are often hand- 
somely decorated. It is difficult to buy these embroid- 
eries, because the work is home-made and intended for 
home use. The peasants are well-to-do. Their wealth 
is not only apparent in the flocks and herds which 
they have accumulated since the emancipation from 
Turkish tyranny twenty-three years ago, but it is 
believed that they have large sums of money concealed 
about their premises. Their experience with avari- 
cious Turkish officials taught them great caution, for 
in the old days no man could accumulate property 
without endangering his liberty and usually his life. 
Nor have they yet acquired faith in banks. Few invest- 
ments are available for them, and for these reasons 
they bury their surplus money in the ground. One of 
the strongest evidences of this practice is the con- 
tinual disappearance of Bulgarian coin from circula- 



THE PEOPLE OF BULGARIA 205 

tion. Nobody seems to know what becomes of it. It 
cannot be shipped to foreign countries, because the 
balance of trade is in favor of Bulgaria; and it is not 
used in the arts and industries. Yet it disappears 
almost as fast as it is coined, and the only explanation 
offered is the prosperity and the secretive habits of the 
peasants. 

An Englishman who traveled through the country 
and saw much of peasant life says that when he asked 
a man one day why they hid their money in the ground 
he answered with surprise: 

"Where do the English peasants hide theirs?" 
The peasants have the characteristics of the other 
oriental races, and, in their eagerness to acquire wealth 
and anxiety to get the best of a bargain, they are not 
surpassed by the Armenian, Arab, Turk, Greek, or Jew. 
They are very sharp traders, economical and thrifty in 
their habits, shrewd in negotiation, and never miss an 
opportunity to make a penny. The impression there, 
as in other parts of Europe, is that all Americans are 
rich and reckless with their money. The hotels, the 
shopkeepers, hackmen, guides, curio-dealers and every- 
one else with whom strangers come in contact has a 
special price for Americans, from twenty to fifty per 
cent higher than is paid by other people. The waiters 
and porters expect bigger fees, and the whole com- 
munity, in fact, considers an American traveler a pigeon 
to be plucked. 

The peasants are industrious, ingenious and intelli- 
gent. Both men and women are of fine physique, 
capable of great endurance, and very few of them are 
idle or vicious. I noticed but three or four beggars 
during my visit to Bulgaria, and every one was a 
cripple. The women do their share of the work on 



206 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

the farms, and seem never to be idle a moment. 
Holding the distaff in their hands, they spin as they 
walk along the highway and as they sit behind piles of 
vegetables in the market waiting for customers. They 
are so accustomed to it that the work is done uncon- 
sciously. They also care for the flocks and herds. 
Most of the shepherds you see from the highways or 
the railway trains are children from eight years old 
and upward, who follow the cattle, sheep and goats 
over the ranges. The large herds in the mountains 
far from the towns are kept by men and well-grown 
boys, and often young women are found among them, 
who sleep in the open air with sheepskins wrapped 
around them during the entire winter season. 

The hospitality of the peasants is always commented 
upon by travelers. Whenever you enter a cottage you 
are cordially welcomed. The oriental laws of hospi- 
tality prevail everywhere in Bulgaria and among all 
classes. No stranger is ever turned from the door if 
he comes in peace, and the poorest peasant will share 
his blanket and his bread without the asking, and at 
the poorest cottage a glass of water or milk, or a bunch 
/ of grapes is invariably offered the visitor. Nearly 
every peasant has a farm of from five to fifteen acres. 
The cottages of the owners are grouped together in a 
little village, and the cultivated lands, as in France, 
usually lie at some distance. There are no fences, 
and to a stranger the landmarks are obscure. Every 
family has at least one pair of oxen and forty or fifty 
sheep, besides cattle, goats, pigs, geese and chickens, 
all of which are allowed to graze upon the mera, or 
common pasture, which belongs to the government, 
but has been held by the community from time imme- 
morial. A peasant of one community is not allowed 



THE PEOPLE OF BULGARIA 207 

to use the pasture belonging to another unless he owns 
a hut or garden spot there to give him a title, but there 
is no limit to the right of pasture." He may have only 
ten sheep or cows, or he may have a thousand— they 
are all entitled to their share of the common range. 
If a man wishes to sell his place his next-door neighbor 
has the option. No stranger is permitted to acquire 
property that any member of the community desires 
to purchase, and public opinion will regulate the price. 
Fruit is plentiful, and in the valleys there is a suc- 
cession of vineyards which produce an excellent wine. 
All ordinary vegetables known to the temperate zone 
are cultivated, and tobacco and cotton grow well. 
Although the soil has been producing for more than 
twenty centuries, no fertilizers are used. The revenue 
from the manufacture of attar of roses amounts to 
more than gi, 000, 000 annually. You can buy it in 
little gilded glass flagons at shops where Turkish 
goods are sold. The town of Shipka, where was 
fought the decisive battle of the Russo-Turkish war 
on the 7th of July, 1877, is the center of the rose 
gardens. Upon the battlefield are many memorials 
of that great struggle in the form of monuments, 
crucifixes, pyramids of cannon balls, cannons and 
crosses, scattered over a large area, erected by the 
survivors of different regiments that were engaged in 
the battle, in memory of their officers and comrades, 
and many of them mark the burial places of officers 
and men who distinguished themselves in the fight. In 
the center of the field is an imposing obelisk erected 
by Alexander II. of Russia to commemorate the victory 
of General Gourko, who commanded his troops. It 
bears an appropriate inscription upon the pedestal, 
and upon the shaft is engraved a representation of the 



2o8 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

Russian coat of arms, with crossed rifles and flags 
beneath it. Upon the top of the shaft is a spear and a 
cross. 

The climate and soil of that part of Bulgaria are 
unusually favorable for rose culture, and for miles 
around the fields are full of the most luxuriant roses, 
which are cultivated like the grapevines in the valleys 
and on the mountain slopes farther west. The rose 
fields cover altogether many thousand acres. The 
bushes are carefully pruned, so that all the strength of 
the sap may go into the flowers, and from the middle 
of June until the last of October women with bags 
hanging over their shoulders go through them daily 
plucking the flowers that have reached maturity. At 
night they take their harvests home, where the petals 
are carefully removed, placed in kettles similar to an 
ordinary still, and the oil extracted by steam. Thou- 
sands of tons of rose leaves are thus gathered annually, 
and the oil produced is worth at the distillery from $50 
to ;^75 a pound. A single drop will perfume a two- 
ounce bottle of alcohol. Much of the product is sent 
to Paris and Vienna, the remainder to Constanti- 
nople. 

Philippopolis, the second city in population and 
importance in Bulgaria, is a famous old town, founded 
by Philip of Macedon about the year 350 B.C., and its 
history has been both romantic and exciting. It is 
picturesquely situated upon three hills of granite and 
has several fine buildings and churches of every relig- 
ious denomination. The Alexander Gymnasium, for 
boys, established by the late prince, is perhaps the 
most progressive educational institution in the whole 
country and has exerted a wide influence. There is a 
government school for the higher education of girls 



THE PEOPLE OF BULGARIA 209 

also, which has done much towards the advancement of 
women. In the market place at Philippopolis you see 
all sorts of costumes, for nearly every oriental race is 
represented in the population. The Bulgarian is 
distinguished by the kalpak^ a headdress of lamb's 
wool, and the Turk by his fez. The Turkish women 
wrap their faces in muslin veils or shawls, but the Bul- 
garian women follow the European custom and do 
not attempt to conceal their features. 

According to the census of 1893, and there has been 
very little change since, the population of Bulgaria is 
3,310,713, and is composed of 2,505,326 Bulgarians, 
569,728 Turks, 58,518 Greeks, 13,260 gypsies, 27,531 
Spanish-speaking Jews, 16,298 Tartars and representa- 
tives of nearly every other race on earth. The 
national faith is that of the Orthodox Greek Church, 
although in 1870 the Patriarch of Constantinople 
excommunicated the entire Bulgarian people in conse- 
quence of their persistent demands for religious inde- 
pendence and autonomy. Since then the church has 
been governed by a synod of twelve bishops, and is 
under the care of the minister of education, the clergy 
being paid by the government. In 1893 the members 
of the Orthodox Greek Church numbered 2,606,786, 
the Mohammedans 643,258, the Roman Catholics 
22,617, and the Protestants about 3,500. 

Protestant missionaries from the United States have 
been at work in Bulgaria ever since the establishment 
of an independent government, the field being divided 
between the Methodists, who have the territory north 
of the Balkan Mountains, and the American Board of 
Foreign Missions, who are engaged in the southern 
part and in Eastern Rumelia. 

The Bulgarians generally commend the missionaries 



210 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

and tell of the great good that they have done. The 
newspapers speak well of them, and the government 
officials have nothing but commendation for their edu- 
cational and charitable work, although their evangelical 
labors are not encouraged. The government is willing 
that they should educate the people, take care of 
them when they are sick, feed them when they are 
hungry and clothe them when they are naked, but nat- 
urally does not approve of the efforts to convert them 
from the Greek to the Protestant faith. The Greek 
clergy are generally bitter and at times fanatical in their 
opposition, except in the large cities, where there is a 
cosmopolitan spirit. The Turks have very little to say 
in Bulgaria, but treat Protestants much more amiably 
than they treat the Greeks, and are particularly friendly 
with the missionaries. The American colony very sel- 
dom has any difficulties with the Turks. The Russians, 
whose influence in Bulgaria is greater than that of any 
other foreign people, and who control the policy of 
the government, are even more opposed to the evan- 
gelical work of the missionaries than the natives, 
because of their connection with the Greek Church and 
their hereditary disapproval of the education of the 
common people. Personally, however, missionaries 
are often friendly with the Russian residents. That 
depends, however, largely upon their individuality. 
Miss Stone, for example, is a great favorite among 
them, as she is everywhere, and the greatest degree 
of anxiety was shown by the Russian colony for her 
rescue. 

The Methodists in northern Bulgaria have eight 
houses of worship, valued at ^31,500. Most of them 
have parsonages attached. There are eleven American 
and native missionaries, four hundred and thirty-four 



THE PEOPLE OF BULGARIA 211 

communicants, forty-three probationers, thirteen 
schools and three hundred and twenty-eight pupils. 

The American Board of Foreign Missions has been at 
work in that country since 1858, when the first mission 
station was established at Adrianople. It has three 
stations in Bulgaria. At Philippopolis there is a 
church of two hundred and fifty native members under 
the care of Rev. George L. Marsh, a veteran who has 
just completed the finest Protestant house of worship 
in the East, and dedicated it in November, 1901. At 
Sofia there is a self-supporting church of three hundred 
members under the care of Rev. Marko Popoff, and a 
large school at Samakov, under the direction of 
Messrs. Haskell, Clark and Baird. The work in Ru- 
melia is under the direction of Rev. John Henry 
House, who resides at Salonika, where there is a flour- 
ishing church. There is another station at Monastir. 
Altogether the American Board has nine missionaries 
in Bulgaria and East Rumelia, seven American lady 
teachers, three established schools for the higher edu- 
cation of both men and women, and one kindergar- 
ten. Its last reports show fifteen organized churches 
with regular preaching, fifty places with irregular 
preaching, twelve houses of worship, about fifteen 
hundred communicants, and an annual average attend- 
ance in igoi of nine hundred and fifty-six at worship 
and eight hundred and forty-two at the Sunday-school. 
There is a large church at Bansko, the place Miss Stone 
started to visit on the morning of her capture, which 
has one hundred and fifty members and a house of 
worship which cost ;^6,ooo. 

American mission work in Bulgaria and Macedonia 
is divided into three departments — publication, educa- 
tion and evangelical. There is a Bulgarian publication 



^12 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

society for both secular and religious literature which 
maintains a printing office, a bookstore and a well- 
patronized free public reading-room at Sofia. It has 
circulated thousands of copies of the best American 
literature translated into the Bulgarian language, and 
formerly published a weekly newspaper, which has 
been revived in Philippopolis recently with a native 
Bulgarian editor. The Bible was translated into Bul- 
garian in 1872 by the late Dr. Riggs and Dr. Long, and 
thousands of copies are sold annually. The Methodists 
are also circulating both religious and secular litera- 
ture with great energy, and find that it awakens an 
interest among the natives to learn more, stimulates 
their ambition, broadens their ideas, and encourages 
them to improve their own schools and extend the 
facilities for the education of the coming generation. 
If the missionaries in Bulgaria had done nothing else 
than create this public sentiment their labors in Bul- 
garia would have been well repaid. They have been 
the pioneers of a general-education system, in which 
the government has recently shown a decided interest; 
they have inspired a temperance movement, they have 
broken the bonds that restrained the women of the 
country, and wherever their influence extends may be 
found a radical change from the social, educational 
and moral conditions which existed when independ- 
ence was established twenty-four years ago. 

The schools at Samakov for the education of 
teachers and preachers have compelled the govern- 
ment to establish similar institutions to satisfy the 
demands of the public; and a model kindergarten, 
maintained by Miss Clark at Sofia, is being imitated 
under the direction of the minister of education. Miss 
Clark is a great favorite in Sofia. She is a daughter of 



THE PEOPLE OF BULGARIA 213 

Rev. Mr. Clark, one of the missionaries in charge of 
the schools at Samakov, and she is assisted by two 
graduates of those institutions. We visited her kinder- 
garten one morning and found twenty-eight black-eyed 
urchins engaged in making baskets and building barns 
with blocks. They are the children of the best fam- 
ilies in Sofia — bankers, merchants, professional men 
and government officials, who patronize the missionary 
kindergarten from self-interest and not because they 
belong to the Protestant Church. The popularity and 
success of Miss Clark's kindergarten has been recog- 
nized throughout the entire kingdom, and before long 
kindergarten work will be recognized as a necessary 
part of the system of public education. 

The Protestants in Bulgaria are trying to raise money 
to endow the schools at Samakov and want help from 
America. They recognize that the influence of those 
schools is wider and more permanent than that of any 
other branch of work in which they are engaged, 
because the chief object is to train teachers for the 
native schools. There is a great demand for teachers, 
which, with the rapid development of the educational 
system, far exceeds the supply, and the graduates of 
the missionary schools at Samakov command the 
highest positions and do the greatest amount of good. 
It is not necessary that they should profess the Prot- 
estant faith. That is a matter of minor importance, 
and the missionaries feel that if they can thoroughly 
educate the people their object will be attained.- 

The government has recently passed a law providing 
for compul.sory education and requiring the attendance 
at school of all children between the ages of eight and 
twelve years. The schools are free to the peasants, 
but those who can afford to pay are taxed $4 a year for 



214 The TURK mid his LOST PROVINCES 

the elementary branches and a corresponding amount 
for the higher schools. Two-thirds of the cost of the 
free schools is paid by the general government, the 
remainder by the municipalities and village authorities. 
The appropriation in 1901 for education was about 
$1,500,000, which supported 4,589 primary schools 
with 7,998 teachers and 336,000 pupils, one hundred 
and seventy high schools with 1,477 teachers and 
33,700 pupils, forty-five technical schools with 255 
teachers and 4,640 pupils, and seventeen preparatory 
schools with 569 teachers and 13,892 pupils. 

There is a university at Sofia with three faculties — 
law, medicine and science — forty-two professors and 
lecturers and four hundred and nine students. At 
present it is occupying a temporary building, but is 
doing good work and promises increased influence. 

It is gratifying to find in this far-off country ladies 
and gentlemen who have been educated in the United 
States and are familiar with American institutions. 
The most influential woman in Bulgaria is Mrs. Ivan B. 
Kassuroff, who was a pupil of Miss Stone. She is 
notable for having been the first Bulgarian woman to 
engage in active mercantile business. She violated 
the customs and traditions of the country and for a 
time created considerable stir, but Mme. Kassuroff' s 
character and abilities have not only carried her 
through a trying ordeal, but have gained for her the 
respect, confidence and admiration of the entire popu- 
lation, and she now has many imitators. She opened 
the field of business for women. Although the native 
citizens, with their oriental conservatism, had a he- 
reditary prejudice against women engaging in business 
enterprises, they now lift their hats to Mme. Kassuroff. 
when they meet her in the street. 



THE PEOPLE OF BULGARIA 215 

Mme. Kassuroff' s business career, however, was not 
entirely voluntary. Her husband was proprietor of 
the principal bookstore in Sofia, and in 1874 died, 
leaving no one to carry on his profitable business. 
Rather than make a sacrifice, his widow assumed the 
responsibility, has since taken personal charge of it, 
has developed remarkable capacity, and, as I have 
said, is honored and admired by all classes. She 
supplies the government with books and stationery, 
and her shop is known as the "Court Book Store." 
It stands upon the opposite side of the public square 
from the palace. She is a typical example of what an 
American education and American ideas introduced by 
the missionaries can do for a Bulgarian woman, and 
illustrates the advancement women have made in the 
East under missionary influence. 

Mrs. Popoff, wife of the pastor of the Protestant 
church in Sofia, is also a graduate of the Painesville 
(Ohio) Seminary, and has done much to bring Ameri- 
can ideas into the family circles of Bulgaria and 
develop the ambition and independence of Bulgarian 
women. Her husband, Rev. Marko N. Popoff, is a 
graduate of Hamilton College, was prepared at Fre- 
donia, New York, and took a course in theology 
at Auburn Seminary. Altogether he spent about 
eleven years in America, is a fine all-round scholar, an 
orator of ability, and exercises a large and growing 
influence. His church is always crowded and he is a 
popular lecturer. 

Another American product is Stoyan Kristoff 
Vatralsky, a son of a Bulgarian shepherd, who gradu- 
ated at Harvard in 1894, was class poet, and was 
engaged in literary work and on the lecture platform 
in the United States until recently, preparing himself 



2i6 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

for educational and literary work in his own country. 
Mr. Vatralsky is a graduate of the missionary school 
at Samakov, where" he was inspired with an ambition 
to go to the United States and prepare himself for 
greater usefulness to his fellow countrymen. 

The supreme representative of Russia in Bulgaria 
to-day is Mr. Bakhmeteff, a diplomatist of great 
talent, learning and long experience, who disguises his 
cleverness under an air of cynical indifference. He is 
well known in the United States, for he has spent 
much time in Washington, his wife being a daughter of 
the late General Edward F. Beale, who was General 
Grant's roommate at West Point and his most inti- 
mate friend for a lifetime. Mme. Bakhmeteff is as 
clever as her husband, and although she naturally 
sympathizes with his efforts to keep Bulgaria within 
the Russian "sphere of influence," she is thoroughly 
American in her habits and sympathies. To her benev- 
olent spirit is due the establishment of several much 
needed charities in Bulgaria. She organized a free 
hospital and interested in her work the Czarina, who at 
her own expense sent to Sofia a staff of nurses from a 
Russian religious sisterhood. Mme. Bakhmeteff also 
introduced the Red Cross Society into Bulgaria, has 
interested herself in the improvements of the schools, 
and as the social leader of the capital has made chari- 
table work fashionable among the Bulgarian women. She 
has also started a school for trained nurses, in which 
other ladies of high position take an active interest. 

While his wife is engaged in charitable work Mr. 
Bakhmeteff keeps the government straight. The 
prime minister never does anything of importance 
without consulting him, and his advice is equivalent 
to an order from the Czar. 



XI 



THE KIDNAPING OF MISS STONE 

The capture and detention for five months and 
twenty days — from the 3d of September, 1901, to the 
3d of February, 1902 — of Miss Ellen M. Stone, a 
representative of the American Board of Foreign 
Missions, and her companion, Mrs. Katarina Stephan- 
ova Tsilka, wife of the Rev. Gregory Tsilka, has 
excited much interest in Bulgarian affairs and the 
cause of Macedonian liberty, but failed to provoke 
intervention on the part of the United States or the 
European nations, as the conspirators hoped it might 
do. That was undoubtedly their chief purpose, and it 
was successful only so far as it attracted public atten- 
tion to the condition of anarchy that prevails in 
Rumelia and the dangers with which missionaries and 
other foreigners are surrounded. 

Miss Stone is well known in Sofia and throughout all 
the Balkan Provinces. She has been engaged in mis- 
sionary work in that region ever since the independ- 
ence of Bulgaria was established at the close of the 
Russo-Turkish war. Her headquarters have been at 
Salonika, a Turkish port on the Mediterranean, which 
was formerly known as Thessalonica. St. Paul 
addressed his Epistle to the Thessalonians to its 
inhabitants, and the city is otherwise identified with 
important events in the history of Christianity. Rev. 
John H. House of Painesville, Ohio, whose influence 
and usefulness extend beyond the borders of Bulgaria, 
where he was a pioneer in missionary work, has charge 

217 



2i8 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

of the headquarters at Salonika, and Miss Stone has 
been associated with him for many years. Her 
especial duties have been to supervise the educational 
work, and it has been her habit to travel on horseback 
throughout the country, opening schools, establishing 
native teachers and looking after their work. In this 
way she has acquired a wide acquaintance and is uni- 
versally respected and beloved, not only by the 
Protestant converts, but by all classes. In her own 
personal narrative she says: 

"During the frequent missionary tours which I have 
made in Macedonia during the last twenty years and 
more, I have often been conscious of danger from the 
brigands who have long infested that country. Thrice 
before my capture I had come into personal contact 
with them. Once I spent the night in the common 
room of a khan or inn with a brigand sleeping on the 
other side of the fire; once two horses were stolen from 
the party with which I was traveling; and the third 
time two bandits stopped us on the road, but hesitated 
as to what manner of people we were, and so let us 
pass. On our journey in September, however, we had 
no thought of fear. Only three weeks before, I had 
come to Bansko by way of Strumitza and Djumia with 
two Bulgarian ladies, teachers in our village schools, 
accompanied only by a muleteer and a young native 
boy. We had ridden through a wild and rugged 
country, spending four days on the road, sleeping one 
night in a native house, and two in khans, all without 
molestation. I had, indeed, traversed the road on 
which we were finally captured many times before, 
and, knowing the people and their ways, I was 
conscious of all the safety of long familiarity. " 

Mr. Tsilka is an Albanian by birth, from the 



THE KIDNAPING OF MISS STONE 219 

province adjoining Macedonia on the west, was edu- 
cated in the missionary schools at Monastir and Sama- 
kov, and afterwards took a course in Union Theological 
Seminary, New York City. He is pastor of a native 
church at Kortcha, Albania, and for several years, 
with the assistance of his wife, has conducted a school 
there. Mrs. Tsilka, a Bulgarian, and a native of 
Bansko, was visiting her parents in that town for 
several weeks before her capture. Like her husband, 
she is a graduate of the mission school at Samakov, 
completed her education at Northfield, Massachusetts, 
and afterwards graduated from the Presbyterian Train- 
ing School for nurses in New York City. 

They had been attending a summer school for 
teachers at Bansko, and, with several members of the 
class, started on horseback for their respective homes 
on the 3d of September, 1901. Miss Stone's journey 
led her towards the railway which runs from Budapest 
to Salonika. Mr. and Mrs. Tsilka and Mr. Dimitsoff, 
her father, were on their way to Albania, and the rest 
of the party expected to leave them at various stations 
on the road which crosses the Perion range of the 
Balkan Mountains. Seven of the party were men, but 
only one of thein was armed. Upon a rough mountain 
trail between Bansko and Djumia, after three hours' 
journey, they sat down under the forest trees to eat 
their luncheon and feed their animals, when they were 
captured by a band of alleged brigands variously esti- 
mated from twelve to forty. Miss Stone says: 

"They were of various ages — some bearded, fierce of 
face and wild of dress; some younger, but all athletic 
and heavily armed. Some wore suits of brown home- 
spun, some Turkish uniforms with red or white fezzes, 
while others were in strange and nondescript attire. 



220 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

One had his face so bound up in a red handkerchief as 
to be unrecognizable; others with faces horribly 
blackened and disguised with what looked like rags 
bobbing over their foreheads — the knotted corners of 
their handkerchiefs, as we afterwards learned. 

"Their rifles and accouterments seemed fresh and 
new, and they also carried revolvers and daggers in 
their belts, with a plentiful and evident supply of car- 
tridges. They had undoubtedly intended to fill us with 
terror at the sight of them — and truly horrible they 
looked. 

"Mr. Tsilka had given his wife his watch and money; 
the latter she secreted in her mouth, and tucked the 
watch under her belt, as she supposed, but it slipped 
below and showed. One of the brigands called her 
attention to it, sarcastically remarking that she had 
better put it away more securely. He could not have 
alarmed her more; if the brigands did not want our 
money and watches, what could be their purpose!" 

The brigands seemed to be on friendly terms with 
George Toderoff, the guide of Miss Stone's party, who 
had been employed at Bansko, and was afterwards 
arrested as an accomplice, but was released by the Bul- 
garian government without trial or examination and 
against the protest of the diplomatic agent of the 
United States. They showed no disposition to rob or 
injure any member of the party, although they 
promptly and in cold blood murdered an unarmed 
Turk who happened to be passing along the trail, and 
who, they no doubt feared, might communicate their 
movements to the authorities. As soon as a conve- 
nient place was reached, the brigands instructed the 
party to go into camp, and repeatedly assured them 
that they need fear no harm. No, threats of violence 



THE KIDNAPING OF MISS STONE 221 

were made and no insults offered, as is customary 
when Turks encounter Christians. No Christian 
woman can expect to escape insult and seldom injury 
if she meets a Turkish soldier in Macedonia; but Miss 
Stone, being an American of strong character and past 
middle age, has usually been treated with respect. If 
her captors had been Turks the proceedings would 
have been entirely different from what actually 
occurred, and the three young women teachers, 
especially, would have had an entirely different expe- 
rience. This circumstance is the strongest kind of evi- 
dence that their captors were Bulgarians. The party 
went into camp, and during the evening the brigands 
disappeared, taking with them Miss Stone and Mrs. 
Tsilka and two horses. If they had been Turks their 
captives would have been stripped of everything valu- 
able and their animals would have been stolen, but not 
an article was missing. The luggage was undisturbed 
and the brigands did not even help themselves to the 
food supplies provided for the journey. 

During the remainder of the fall and the succeeding 
winter, until February 23, 1902, the captives were kept 
moving from place to place in the mountains, suffering 
considerable privation and discomfort, but, as both Miss 
Stone and Mrs. Tsilka testify, they were treated with 
invariable respect and kindness, and were as well sup- 
plied with the necessaries of life as was possible in that 
primitive country. They seemed to appreciate the 
value of their captives and took a great deal of care 
and trouble to protect them from exposure and injury, 
and in November, when Mrs. Tsilka's child was born, 
they brought an old woman from some unknown 
quarter to assist as a nurse. 

In the meantime there was great excitement in Sofia 



222 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

and other parts of Bulgaria. In the United States 
public meetings were held in many places and liberal 
contributions made towards a fund to ransom Miss 
Stone and her companion, and the secretary of state 
ordered Mr. Charles M. Dickinson, the American 
consul-general at Constantinople, to Sofia, the capital 
of Bulgaria, with instructions to use his best efforts to 
secure the release of the captives. 

On the morning of September 4, after the disappear- 
ance of their captors with Miss Stone and Mrs. Tsilka, 
that lady's husband and father, with the other men in 
the party, made a careful examination of the country 
around them, but could find no trace of the women or 
the brigands except their trail, which led over the 
mountains back towards Bulgaria. The entire day was 
spent in the search. The husband and the father of 
Mrs. Tsilka, almost overcome with grief and conster- 
nation, pursued their fruitless search through the next 
night, and as there were no further signs of the 
brigands decided to return to Bansko and give an 
alarm. Messengers had already been sent there, and 
to notify the missionary colony at Samakov, but, 
strange to say, the news of the capture preceded them 
and was whispered about the streets by Cyril Vaciloff 
and other Macedonian revolutionists, who appeared to 
know all about it. They also predicted the amount of 
ransom that would be demanded before anything had 
been heard from the brigands. The demand, which 
was contained in a letter written by Miss Stone in the 
Bulgarian language to the treasurer of the mission- 
ary board, was dictated by some person of intelli- 
gence. The language and the forms of expression 
used were very unlike her literary style. There was 
no doubt, however, of the penmanship. That letter 



THE KIDNAPING OF MISS STONE 225 

was thrown into the window of the house of mission- 
ary Haskell at Samakov during the night, and his 
daughter identified Vaciloff in the moonlight while 
trying to open the window. A local newspaper 
friendly to the Macedonian cause published the 
important part of the contents of the letter before they 
were made known by the missionaries, including the 
amount of ransom demanded. 

This and other circumstances make it very clear 
that Vaciloff intended or expected to be the medium of 
negotiation for Miss Stone's release, and his failure was 
undoubtedly due to his arrest, which frightened him 
and induced him to deny all knowledge of the affair. 
The missionaries and the United States consul-general 
were not allowed to question him or communicate with 
him while he was in jail. He was released by the 
order of the authorities at Sofia upon the pretext that 
no evidence had been offered against him, although no 
one had been invited to present evidence. No attempt 
was made by anybody to secure evidence. The mis- 
sionaries and Consul-general Dickinson were not 
informed of the decision to release him, and they did 
not know of his release until they saw the announce- 
ment in the newspapers. The only inference to be 
drawn from this unusual procedure was that the offi- 
cials and the managers of the Macedonian Revolution- 
ary Committee realized the complications that might 
ensue with the United States, the damage their cause 
would suffer before the world and the odium they 
would be compelled to endure if Vaciloff' s plans were 
carried out. 

Cyril Vaciloff is a young adventurer, who had been 
acting as president of the Macedonian Committee at 
Samakov, a small town near the border, about fifty 



224 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

miles south of Sofia, in the foothills of the Balkan 
Mountains. That is the missionaries' headquarters, 
where a large school for young men and women has 
been conducted ever since Bulgarian independence. 
Its graduates may be found occupying important posi- 
tions in every part of the country, and the good it has 
accomplished directly and indirectly is incalculable. 
Cyril Vaciloff was educated at this school. His father 
was formerly a man of some importance, but intemper- 
ance ruined him. His mother was a good woman and 
was quite intimate with the missionary families up to 
her death. Although she remained a member of the 
Greek Church, she frequently attended Protestant 
worship and sent her children to the Protestant school. 
Young Vaciloff was a bright scholar and a fluent 
speaker, with considerable literary talent, but was 
always wild and restless, fond of notoriety and unreli- 
able in character. He never earned a dollar in his life, 
but went into politics while a mere boy, and for several 
years lived off the contributions for Macedonian free- 
dom. He is a popular cafe orator, writes pamphlets in 
support of the Macedonian cause, and is an active, 
eloquent and effective agitator. In the spring of 1901, 
after the reorganization of the Macedonian Committee, 
he called upon Mr. Clark, superintendent of the 
mission at Samakov, and requested a contribution for 
the Macedonian cause. Mr. Clark explained that 
while his sympathies were with the Macedonians in 
their struggle for liberty, it would be impolitic and 
unwise for foreigners, and especially for missionaries, 
to subscribe to political funds. They were working in 
Turkey, as well as in Bulgaria, and must keep on 
terms with the Sultan. Vaciloff was not satisfied with 
this explanation, and shortly after his visit Mr. Clark 



THE KIDNAPING OF MISS STONE 225 

received a written warning that unless a prompt con- 
tribution was made to the Macedonian cause the mis- 
sionaries would regret it. This threat was followed by 
an incendiary fire and the destruction of the barn 
attached to the mission establishment. Mr. Clark 
then received another letter from Vaciloff saying that 
the barn caught fire from an electric spark, and that 
another would soon fall in the same neighborhood 
unless 1^2,500 were immediately forthcoming. No 
notice was taken of this threat except to solicit police 
protection, and nothing happened. 

During the summer of 1901 the missionaries fre- 
quently heard of threats made by him and by others 
associated with the Macedonian cause, and Vaciloff 
frequently remarked that the Protestants would soon be 
compelled to pay a large sum into the treasury whether 
they wanted to or not. He was the first to learn of 
the capture of Miss Stone; he was the first to announce 
that ;^i 10,000 was the sum fixed for her ransom, and as 
I have said, he was identified as the man who threw 
the letter from Miss Stone into the window of Mr. 
Haskell's residence. 

It is believed that the actual leader of the bandits 
who captured Miss Stone was Ivan Zandanski, for- 
merly keeper of the Bulgaria penitentiary, who resides 
at Dubnitza, a little town near the scene of the inci- 
dent. He is also active in connection with the Mace- 
donian movement, is associated with Vaciloff, and is a 
notorious desperado. He is known to have followed 
Miss Stone during the summer on several of her jour- 
neys, and usually appeared wherever she was. This 
was noticed and commented upon, without suspicion at 
the time, but is remembered as of significance since 
the outrage. Shortly before the kidnaping Zandan- 



226 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

ski started ostensibly upon an expedition to visit and 
organize the Bulgarian sympathizers on the Turkish 
side of the boundary in the Balkan Mountains, and 
took with him twenty or more guns from the arsenal of 
the Macedonian Committee at Samakov. He returned 
on the nth of October, surrendered the guns to their 
proper custodian, and reported that he had met with 
great success. It is current gossip among the peasants 
in that part of the country that he was the leader of 
the band, and he was actually identified by several of 
Miss Stone's companions. He was arrested and 
released for want of evidence, without consulting the 
missionaries or the United States consul-general. 

George Toderoff, the mule driver who was in charge 
of the animals used by Miss Stone's party, and acted 
as their guide, is believed to be implicated. Upon his 
return from the mountains he told several conflicting 
stories concerning the event, which caused his arrest, 
but he also was released by order of the government at 
Sofia because of supposed threats from Macedonian 
patriots. It is established by abundant evidence that 
a number of members of the local Macedonian organi- 
zation around Samakov disappeared the last of August, 
shortly before the capture, gradually returning to their 
homes during September. They claimed to have been 
engaged, like Zandanski, in organizing revolutionary 
bands in Macedonia, but the natives generally believe 
that they were members of the party. 

The presence of a military force which was sent to 
the neighborhood, ostensibly to capture the brigands 
and rescue Miss Stone, also aided to defeat that 
purpose, because it prevented people who might have 
furnished valuable information from communicating 
with the missionaries or lending them aid. Every 



THE KIDNAPING OF MISS STONE 227 

man who showed signs of knowledge was arrested, 
imprisoned for a few days, and then released without 
any opportunity having been offered to the friends of 
Miss Stone to communicate with him. These proceed- 
ings terrorized the neighborhood, and balked every 
effort made by the missionaries. Another reason for 
the delay to open communication was the refusal of 
the missionaries to offer money as ransom or for infor- 
mation. The inhabitants of that part of the country 
are very poor, they are naturally avaricious, and some 
of them might have been persuaded by the judicious 
use of money to defy the authorities and furnish infor- 
mation and assistance. The missionaries, however, 
were exceedingly scrupulous in refusing to appeal to 
mercenary motives. At the beginning they declared 
that no ransom would be paid, and all offers to them 
and to Consul-general Dickinson involving payments 
of money were promptly rejected. The wisdom of 
this policy was seriously questioned by those who know 
the Bulgarian character and the customs of the coun- 
try, and it afterwards proved to be a mistake and was 
abandoned. Natives and foreigners in the neighboring 
country are in the habit of paying blackmail and 
ransom. Custom has overcome their scruples on this 
point, and in several of the Turkish provinces brigand- 
age is regarded as a legitimate occupation. It is, of 
course, impossible to say what might have happened if 
the customs of the country had been followed at the 
start in this respect, but the missionaries took the 
same high ground as the merchants of New York in 
1775, when they declared that they would pay "mil- 
lions for defense, but not one cent for tribute." 

There have been a large number of kidnaping 
cases in the Turkish provinces during the last few 



228 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

years. People in this country have heard very little 
about them because the means of communication are 
limited and we seldom have newspaper letters or dis- 
patches from that part of the world. Miss Stone's 
case was exceptional in this respect, because of the 
missionary colonies that communicated with their 
friends at home and the interest taken in the matter 
by the American public. The following is a partial 
list of the persons kidnaped and the amount of ran- 
som paid for their release, since 1880. There have 
been other cases, but I have not been able to obtain 
the facts: 

1880, Colonel Singe, ransomed for 150,000. 

1881, Henry Suter, ransomed for $60,000. 

1884, Richard Dussi, |6,ooo paid. 

1885, Mrs. Giovenov, $35,000 demanded, $2,000 paid. 
1885, Fritz Charmand, $8,000 demanded, $1,500 paid. 
1887, R. C. H. Wilkins, $30,000 demanded, $8,000 paid. 
1890, Gray Hill, $100,000 demanded, amount paid unknown. 

1890, Mr. Landler, $15,000 paid. 

1 89 1, M. Rayneud, $5,000 paid. 
1891, M. Michele, $2,000 paid. 
1894, M. Provost, $3,000 paid. 

1896, Captain Marriott, $15,000 demanded, $120 paid. 

1896, M. Waligrski, $4,000 paid. 

1896, Mme. Branzian, $50,000 demanded, $10,000 paid. 

1898, James Whithall, $500 paid. 

1899, M. Chevalier, $15,000 paid. 

1900, Gerasim Kirias, $2,000 paid. 

190T, M. Alphonse, $5,000 demanded, $1,000 paid. 

1901, Miss Stone, $125,000 demanded, $65,000 paid. 

The missionaries almost unanimously opposed the 
payment of ransom. They abhor blackmail as a mat- 
ter of principle, and argued that submission in the 
Stone case would establish a precedent that would be 
disastrous to the cause of missions not only in Turkey 



THE KIDNAPING OF MISS STONE 229 

but in all semi-civilized countries. They feared that it 
would result in a new industry; that all the idle des- 
peradoes would engage in the business of kidnaping 
missionaries, and one good man went so far as to 
declare that "God would prefer Miss Stone to perish 
of hunger in the mountains than endanger the lives of 
his servants elsewhere." 

The latest foreigner kidnaped before Miss Stone 
was Gerasim Kirias, an Albanian Protestant preacher, 
a naturalized subject of Great Britain and agent for the 
British Bible Society. He was captured under circum- 
stances similar to those of Miss Stone and carried into 
the mountains, where he was kept for three months, 
while negotiations were conducted by the British 
consul-general. He was finally released upon the 
payment of 500 Turkish pounds, which is equivalent to 
about ^2,000. The exposure and privation cost him 
his life. He became ill of rheumatism while in the 
hands of the bandits and never recovered. 

Mr. Landler, engineer-in-chief of the railroad which 
runs through Bulgaria to Constantinople, was seized 
by brigands and carried into the mountains several 
years ago. The Austrian government, backed by Italy 
and Germany, attempted to force Prince Ferdinand of 
Bulgaria to secure his release, but as with Miss Stone 
the government made no attempt to capture the brig- 
ands or rescue the prisoner, although it was not shown 
that the Macedonian Committee or any other political 
organization was involved in the outrage. Austria 
finally paid ^15,000 ransom, Mr. Landler was released, 
and the Bulgarian government was compelled to refund 
the money and pay a handsome indemnity. Other 
men of prominence and wealth have been kidnaped 
and the government has refused to intervene. I 



230 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

cannot ascertain that any brigand has been punished 
in Bulgaria since the retirement of Stambouloff , late 
prime minister. 

Mr. Dickinson, agent of the United States, assuming 
that the government of Bulgaria was responsible for 
the safety of foreigners within its jurisdiction, and for 
the good behavior of its subjects, undertook to compel 
its authorities to compel the Macedonian Committee to 
compel the Samakov local committee to compel the 
conspirators to call in the brigands and release Miss 
Stone, but his efforts were useless because the Mace- 
donian Committee was determined to avoid the odium 
of the kidnaping, and is much more powerful than the 
government. It was not believed then, or now, by those 
who are well informed, that the present managers of 
the Macedonian movement had any part in or knowl- 
edge of the conspiracy, but there was abundant circum- 
stantial evidence that the plot was arranged and carried 
out by the former leaders, "the old committee," as it is 
called, of which a desperate adventurer named Boris 
Sarafoff was the chairman and leader. Sarafoff was 
removed as head of the central committee because he 
was indicted for murder and gambled away the funds 
in the treasury. He was also engaged in several 
blackmailing conspiracies which brought discredit 
upon the cause. Nevertheless he is one of the most 
popular heroes in Bulgaria and has more influence with 
the people than any official of the government or any 
respectable member of the community. 

Sarafoff was suspected of complicity with the con- 
spiracy as soon as Miss Stone's abduction was 
reported. The British minister, acting in behalf of 
the United States, because we have no official repre- 
sentative at Sofia, notified the Bulgarian minister of 



THE KIDNAPING OF MISS STONE 231 

foreign relations of his suspicions that Sarafoff was 
implicated and demanded officially that he either be 
arrested and locked up or placed under surveillance, 
so that he could not leave the country until an investi- 
gation could be made. The government did not touch 
him, and probably did not dare to do so. Sarafoff left 
Sofia within a few days and went to Budapest. He 
was afterwards reported to be in Paris. The police 
knew his whereabouts, but were more afraid of him 
than he was of them. 

Mr. Dickinson is a gentleman of ability and integ- 
rity, and has the entire confidence of the American 
colony in Constantinople, but from the beginning of 
the negotiations in behalf of Miss Stone he adopted a 
policy which was calculated to prevent instead of 
secure her release. He seems to have imagined that 
diplomacy could solve the problem, and instead of 
dealing with the brigands he endeavored to compel 
the Bulgarian government to interfere, when he should 
have known that it was absolutely powerless to do so. 
After two months had passed, and having fully demon- 
strated his inability to deal with the case, Mr. Dickin- 
son was recalled from Bulgaria and Mr. Leishman, the 
United States minister at Constantinople, who had 
been on leave, was ordered back to his post of duty. 
He arrived at Constantinople about the 1st of January, 
and, after informing himself as to the situation, pro- 
ceeded to undertake Miss Stone's release by the appli- 
cation of business methods and common sense. He 
abandoned the diplomatic controversy, and, recogniz- 
ing that the officials of the Bulgarian government were 
impotent, endeavored to open communication directly 
with the brigands. He appointed a committee con- 
sisting of Mr. Gargiulo, chief dragoman and interpreter 



232 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

of the United States legation at Constantinople; Rev. 
John Henry House, D.D., formerly of Painesville, 
Ohio, and for twenty-five years in charge of the mission 
work of the American Board in Macedonia, with head- 
quarters at Salonika; and W. W. Feet, treasurer of the 
Bible Society and Missionary Board at Constantinople. 
These gentlemen managed the business with great 
skill and tact. 

Dr. Feet was the custodian of the fund contributed 
by citizens of the United States for the ransom, and it 
amounted to ^65,000. Rev. Dr. House commands the 
confidence of the people of Macedonia to a degree 
beyond that of any other American, and for that 
reason Mr. Leishman selected him to negotiate with 
the brigands. Mr. Gargiulo is more familiar with the 
methods and habits of the natives of Turkey than any 
other man whose services could be obtained. He is 
also upon familiar terms with the officials and knows 
how to deal with both classes. 

Mr, Leishman invited these three gentlemen to take 
charge of the case, and they went directly to the 
scene of Miss Stone's capture. 

On the i8th of January Dr. House succeeded in 
opening communication with Miss Stone from a town 
called Razlog. She wrote that she was well and 
kindly treated, and that the alarming reports about 
Mrs. Tsilka and herself were unfounded. But the 
brigands would not release her except upon the pay- 
ment of ;S65,000, which they were aware had been con- 
tributed for the ransom, and was in the hands of the 
missionaries at Constantinople. They knew to a dollar 
the extent of the funds raised, and would not listen to 
any proposition except the payment of the full 
amount. They had been in constarit communication 



THE KIDNAPING OF MISS STONE 233 

with friends at Sofia and elsewhere, who kept them 
advised of all the movements of our government and 
of Mr. Dickinson, and were familiar with the news- 
paper publications concerning the case in the United 
States. They declined to surrender Miss Stone in 
advance of payment and insisted that the money 
should be paid first. 

Mr. Leishman investigated the precedents and found 
that this had always been customary and that in every 
case on record the brigands had acted honorably and 
carried out their part of the agreement. In the case 
of Colonel Singe, an Englishman who was kidnaped 
some years ago, his captors not only demanded ^60,000 
ransom money in advance, but required that his wife 
and daughter should be delivered as hostages and 
detained until they had been given twenty-four hours 
to escape. The money and the women were delivered 
to a representative of the bandits at a place agreed 
upon. The hostages remained in absolute seclusion 
until the following day, when, at the hour appointed, 
they left the cabin in which they had been placed and 
returned to their home. If they had attempted to 
leave before or to communicate with anybody during 
that time they undoubtely would have been shot, but 
they submitted to the exactions of the bandits, and on 
the following day Colonel Singe was released. 

Mme. Branzian, a French lady who was kidnaped 
in 1896, was released under similar conditions. Her 
captors demanded £10,000 in advance and three days' 
time in which to escape with the money. If they were 
molested in the meantime they gave notice that she 
would be killed. Ten thousand dollars was paid as 
agreed and the conditions were complied with, but at 
the end of the three days soldiers started in pursuit, 



234 



The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 



four of the brigands were captured and g8,ooo of the 
money recovered. 

In every other case that Mr. Leishman could hear of 
the conditions were the same, and, upon the advice of 
Dr. House, he decided to accept the terms and author- 
ized the payment of the ransom. There was a little 
difficulty at first as to the place and the manner in which 
the money was to be delivered, but in this, as in every 
other particular, the committee was compelled to 
submit to the demands of the brigands. The result 
justified their confidence, and Miss Stone and her com- 
panion were surrendered according to the stipulation. 
On October 25 Dr. Haskell and Dr. Baird, of the 
Congregational mission at Samakov, had an interview 
with one of the so-called brigands, and he knew every- 
thing that Consul-general Dickinson had done up to 
that date, as well as the exact amount of the ransom 
fund that had been contributed in the United States. 
Rev. Dr. House met three of them by appointment 
January 22. Two days later Messrs. House, Peet and 
Gargiulo met several others, discussed the matter of 
ransom as business men usually discuss commercial 
transactions, and arranged for the payment of the 
money on the following day, January 25. The 
brigands demanded payment in gold coin, and swore 
the Americans to perpetual secrecy concerning their 
individuality, the place where the ransom was paid and 
other circumstances connected with the case. They 
insisted that the place of payment should remain a 
secret for fear the people in the neighborhood might 
be suspected of complicity and be punished by the 
Turks. The unexpected appearance of a company of 
Turkish soldiers, who were always on the alert to 
watch the movements of the rescue committee, pre- 



THE KIDNAPING OF MISS STONE 235 

vented the payment of the ransom until the 13th of 
February. Three men were waiting around the place 
of rendezvous all this time for a chance to receive the 
money safely; and, in order to throw the Turkish 
soldiers off the scent, the missionaries removed the 
gold from the packages in which it had been brought 
from Constantinople, filled the packages with stones 
and sent them back under guard to the railway sta- 
tion. 

This ruse proved successful. The Turkish officials 
and detectives who were watching the missionaries 
supposed that they had failed to connect with the 
brigands and had shipped the money to Constanti- 
nople. Their vigilance was, therefore, relaxed, and on 
February 13 the rescue committee paid over 1^65,000 
in gold coin to four brigands, who insisted upon count- 
ing it piece by piece, to be sure that they received 
the full amount demanded. Twelve other brigands 
were in the immediate neighborhood, within call and 
on guard, and several of them are known to the mis- 
sionaries. 

Two days later, in a cabin in the mountains. Miss 
Stone received a letter from Dr. House, brought in 
by the brigands, containing the welcome news that 
the ransom had been paid, and was informed by her 
captors that she would be released as soon as their 
safety would permit. After several days of impatient 
waiting the bandits started upon a journey with their 
captives. They traveled through the mountains two 
nights and part of three days, and about dusk on the 
evening of the third day, February 23, Miss Stone, 
Mrs. Tsilka and her baby were left in the woods and 
were told that they were free to go their way, and 
would find a village within five minutes' walk. The 



236 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

women thanked their captors for their kindness, 
expressed the natural degree of relief at the end of 
their captivity and soon found themselves in the 
village of Gradshortsky, where the natives received 
them hospitably and notified the governor of the town 
of Stronmitza, only a few miles away. 

On the following morning Miss Stone and Mrs. 
Tsilka were taken to Stronmitza, where the governor 
received them with considerable ceremony and notified 
the missionaries. Dr. House, Mr. Peet and Mr. 
Gargiulo, who had been patiently waiting for this 
news, soon joined the ladies and conducted them to 
Salonika, where Dr. House lives. From there, after 
a few days of rest, they went to Constantinople. 

There is a decided difference of opinion among the 
European colony and the missionaries as to the moral 
effect of the transaction, but the proceedings of the 
American minister and his committee are generally 
approved. It is also the almost unanimous sentiment 
that the same methods should have been adopted at 
once after Miss Stone's capture. A few members of 
the missionary colony still insist that it would have 
been better to sacrifice Miss Stone's life than to "com- 
promise with wrong," as they term it. They predict 
that the lives and liberty of American missionaries will 
be imperiled from this time on and that it will be 
unsafe for any foreigner to travel without an armed 
escort. The people of the United States, having shown 
their willingness to pay a large sum of money to 
ransom one missionary, will be called upon frequently 
hereafter to pay blackmail to protect others, and they 
argue that the establishment of such a precedent is 
not only fatal as a matter of policy but a shameful 
surrender of the dignity of a powerful Christian nation. 



THE KIDNAPING OF MISS STONE 237 

No demand has been made upon Turkey for indem- 
nity or other reparation because it is clear that the 
crime was committed by Bulgarians, and not by Turks, 
although upon Turkish soil, and in Turkish disguises; 
and it is equally clear that the conspirators desired and 
intended to involve Turkey in complications with the 
United States. No demand has been made upon Bul- 
garia since the release of Miss Stone because she 
declines to make a complaint or furnish any clues to 
the identity of her captors or any evidence upon 
which a claim can be based. She intends to return 
to her mission field in Macedonia and Bulgaria, and 
therefore does not wish to impair her popularity or 
usefulness among the people of those countries. She 
is intensely sympathetic with the Macedonian cause, 
notwithstanding her sufferings at the hands of its advo- 
cates, and she is evidently under pledges to her 
captors not to do or say anything that might interfere 
with their peace of mind or pursuit of happiness, for 
she has declined, or at least neglected, to furnish the 
department of state any information concerning them. 
She is also so confident that her deliverance is due to 
the intercession of Providence, in answer to her 
prayers, that she has entirely overlooked all the human 
agencies that were engaged in her behalf. 

Mrs. Tsilka made a brief statement at the request of 
Mr. Leishman, the United States minister at Constan- 
tinople, but it furnishes little information, and it is of 
no value whatever for official purposes. The United 
States government intended to make some sort of a 
demonstration in order to assert its dignity and show 
its disapproval of the liberties the brigands of Bul- 
garia have taken with American citizens, but it cannot 
do very much unless the parties of the first part make 



238 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

complaint or furnish some ground for action, which 
they both seem disinclined to do. 

To those who are familiar with the facts and the 
situation in Macedonia, Miss Stone's narrative in 
McClure's Magazine is more remarkable for what she 
omits than for what she tells. It is very clear that she 
is determined to furnish no clew to her captors, for 
with great care and skill she avoids giving any infor- 
mation that may reveal their identity or disclose the 
places in which she and Mrs. Tsilka were detained 
during their captivity. 

Nevertheless, she makes one or two slips, evidently 
unconscious of their significance. For example, she 
expresses her relief at finding that her captors were 
not "black shirts" or regular brigands. She says that 
their arms and equipments were all new; that they 
were in communication with friends in Sofia and 
received regular and prompt information from that 
city. She speaks well of them, appreciates their kind- 
ness and courtesy, and in her letters to Dr. House and 
others certifies that they are "entirely trustworthy." 
Dr. House, Dr. Peet and Mr. Gargiulo, who had 
several interviews with her captors, testify that they 
were "neither shepherds nor husbandmen, but men of 
education and some polish," especially the chief, who 
knew some English. 

Mr. Gargiulo calls attention to a singular circum- 
stance. He says that it is the custom for brigands to 
give their captives a liberal contribution from the 
ransom paid for their release. He mentions that when 
Colonel Singe, an Englishman, was ransomed in 1880, 
each brigand in the band gave him a handful of gold, 
from £20 to £25 sterling, before leaving him. In other 
cases of abduction by regular brigands the same 




A MACEDONIAN READY FOR REVOLUTION 



THE KIDNAPING OF MISS STONE 239 

practice has been followed, but in Miss Stone's case 
her captors were not so generous. They gave her no 
money whatever, which, Mr. Gargiulo argues, indi- 
cates that they are unfamiliar with the etiquette of 
brigandage; that it was new business for them, and 
therefore they are not regular brigands. This confirms 
the belief that they are members of the Macedonian 
Committee. 

Assuming that the conspiracy to kidnap Miss Stone 
was hatched and carried out by the Macedonian Com- 
mittee, the motives are easily understood: 

(i) The Macedonian Committee, having an empty 
treasury, needed money for arms and ammunition. 

(2) They desired to terrify the American mission- 
aries into cooperation with them in their efforts to 
secure the emancipation of Macedonia from Turkish 
rule. While the sympathies of the missionaries have 
always been with the Macedonian patriots, they have 
carefully abstained from doing anything to excite the 
criticism or provoke the hostility of the Turks. 

(3) The Macedonian Committee desired to attract 
the attention of Europe to the misgovernment of the 
Macedonian province by Turkish officials and to the 
condition of anarchy that prevails there, hoping to 
secure the intervention of the great Powers and 
compel the Sultan to carry into effect the pledges he 
made to the international conference at Berlin, when 
Macedonia was restored to his authority in 1878. The 
members of the Macedonian Committee have pro- 
claimed boldly, both before Miss Stone's abduction 
and since, that they will make it so unsafe for foreign- 
ers in Macedonia that the Powers will be compelled to 
intervene for the protection of their own subjects. 

(4) The committee hoped to provoke war, or at least 



240 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

serious complications, between Turkey and the United 
States by kidnaping an American citizen while upon 
Turkish soil, and thus involve the government of the 
United States in what is known as the Eastern ques- 
tion. Hitherto we have always held aloof from that 
perplexing problem. 

There is strong ground for the belief that there was 
a quarrel between the old and new Macedonian Com- 
mittees, although the facts are not known. Miss 
Stone was captured by the old committee, which, as I 
have already said, was composed of desperate and dis- 
reputable adventurers. The new committee is com- 
posed of respectable and honorable men, who did not 
approve of the abduction and were very anxious lest it 
should injure the cause of Macedonian freedom among 
the Christian people of Europe. Miss Stone, in her 
narrative in McClure's Magazine, tells of a fight 
between her captors and another band of brigands 
who, she thinks, were trying to recapture Mrs. Tsilka 
and herself for the sake of securing the ransom. 
Private information from Sofia, which was not credited 
at the time, referred to such an attempt upon the part 
of the new committee, but it has never been made 
clear whether they intended to release the prisoners, if 
captured, or whether they intended to demand the 
ransom for themselves instead of allowing it to be col- 
lected by the members of the old committee. 



PART III 

Servia 



241 



PART III 

SERVIA 
XII 

THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN SERVIA 

To understand the situation in Servia it is necessary 
to know a little of the history of that interesting 
country, which is always furnishing a sensation for 
Europe, and the story of the feud between two peasant 
families, which has been the cause of most of the 
trouble. At the beginning of the present century 
Servia was a Turkish province and was governed by a 
just and humane pasha named Hadji Mustapha. He 
was not only popular, but was beloved by his Christian 
subjects, and the land was peaceful and prosperous. 
The Janizaries, however, did not approve of his 
liberal policy or his efforts to protect the inhabitants 
against their extortions and cruelties, so they shut him 
up in the citadel and put him to death. They 
explained to the Sultan that he had been untrue to the 
Turks and was a friend of the Christians. The Jani- 
zaries had their own way for four or five years, and, 
fearing an uprising of the people, decided to murder 
every man who could possibly be looked upon as a 
leader. Thousands were massacred; every town and 
village in Servia flowed with blood. Among those 
who escaped to the mountains was a swineherd named 
George Petrovitch (George, the son of Peter), better 
known to history by his nickname, Kara (Black) 

243 



244 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

George, because of his dark complexion and raven 
hair. He is the greatest hero of Servian history, and 
to him his country owes its independence from the 
Turks. 

He was a very able man and generally respected, but 
was absolutely illiterate, being unable to read or 
write, and could not even sign his name. When he 
became king he used a peculiar cipher or rubric to 
show his approval of state papers. But he had natural 
intelligence and sagacity. His integrity was never 
questioned and his sense of justice was Spartan. He 
allowed his own brother to suffer the death penalty as 
an example to others for defying the authority of the 
government. While King of Servia he wore the ordi- 
nary peasant's garb, because he said it was more 
appropriate to his ignorance and simple character than 
a crown and robe of state, and he lived with the same 
frugality as when he was tending his pigs in the 
mountains, often cooking his own meals in the palace 
kitchen. 

Karageorge drove out the Turks and organized a 
liberal monarchy in Servia. Keenly appreciating his 
own deficiencies, the first thing he did was to establish 
a free public school system in every province, with a 
university at Belgrade. He introduced courts of 
justice, reduced taxation, punished corruption, sup- 
pressed vice and organized the different branches of 
the government with the skill of an experienced 
statesman; but the people were not able to advance at 
his rapid pace and he suffered the fate of many men 
who have been ahead of their generation. His 
enemies encompassed him about, and his critics inter- 
fered with his plans for the improvement of the 
country. In a fit of anger and indignation because 



POLITICAL SITUATION IN SERVIA 245 

the public would not sustain his reforms, he abdicated 
the crown after a reign of nine years. He was the 
founder of the Karageorgovitch family, which is one 
of the parties to a perpetual feud for the control of 
Servia. 

His rival, the founder of the other faction, was also 
a peasant, the son of a house-servant, a man who did 
menial work about the castle of an aristocratic family 
named Obren. His father was called Tescho, but, as is 
common among the Balkan peasants, he had no family 
name, and when he became conspicuous enough to need 
one he adopted that of his master, and the founder 
of the present reigning house of Servia became known 
as Milos Obren. When Karageorge abdicated, Milos 
was the most influential man left in the city of Bel- 
grade, and the Turkish pasha who invaded the country 
and captured the city appointed him governor of the 
province. This honor excited his ambition and 
jealousy, and, fearing a popular movement to recall 
Karageorge to the throne, he betrayed him to the 
Turkish pasha, and, in obedience to the latter's 
orders, willingly hired a professional assassin named 
Vuica to murder his unsuspecting rival while asleep 
in the shepherd's hut he occupied in the mountains. 
Thus began the feud between the descendants of the 
two men, which continues to the present day, and the 
history of Servia is little more than a recital of the 
rivalries between the Obrenovitch and the Karageorg- 
ovitch families. Milos finally succeeded in reaching 
the throne, and, being a man of very different disposi- 
tion from Karageorge, ruled as an autocrat until he 
was compelled to abdicate by an outraged people, and 
was succeeded by his eldest son, Milan III., who died 
a month later, when his brother Michael was seated. 



246 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

Michael made a good king. He was liberal, just, 
progressive, and introduced many modern improve- 
ments into Servia, besides carrying on the reforms 
begun by Karageorge. He built a fine system of roads 
and highways, erected several good public buildings, 
laid out parks, built an opera-house and an art gallery, 
all of which were excellent things in their way, but 
cost money. The peasants, who have always ruled 
Servia, objected to what they called "German ideas" 
and drove Michael from power, electing as king in his 
place Alexander Karageorgovitch, a son of the 
national hero. The latter had held an humble posi- 
tion in the Servian army, was modest, quiet and 
reserved. In an unostentatious way he continued the 
policy of public improvements begun by Michael, 
encouraging the arts and industries. During his reign 
Servia enjoyed peace for several years and made rapid 
progress, but the dissatisfied element soon began 
agitations again, and, encouraged by the partisans of 
the Obrenovitch family, obtained control of the par- 
liament, which demanded Alexander's abdication, and 
called back old Milos, who had been in exile in 
Austria. He reigned for two years, until he died, and 
it was good for the country that his life was not pro- 
longed, for he labored under the delusion that his 
recall was a vindication of his previous autocratic 
policy, and his rule was worse than before. 

Upon the death of Milos, Michael again came into 
power. During his exile he had traveled much, had 
studied the art of government in several of the Euro- 
pean capitals, had learned foreign languages and 
foreign affairs, and this education and observation, 
with his natural abilities, made him a safe and prudent 
sovereign. He was altogether the best ruler Servia 



POLITICAL SITUATION IN SERVIA 247 

has ever had; but there were continual conspiracies 
against him by partisans of the Karageorge family, 
and, being unable to control the parliament, they 
removed Michael by assassination. He was murdered 
in the garden of his country palace. It was the inten- 
tion of the conspirators to proclaim Peter Karageorgo- 
vitch as king simultaneously with the announcement 
of Michael's death, but their carriage broke down on 
their way back to Belgrade and the news of their 
crime preceded them. The minister of war took 
prompt action, arrested the assassins and locked them 
up in the dungeons of the citadel. The plot proved 
to be widespread. Several members of the Karageorge 
family were convicted of complicity and put to death, 
but there was no direct evidence against Peter, who 
then, as now, was living quietly at Lucerne, Switzer- 
land, engaged in scientific pursuits. His late wife, 
Zorka, was a daughter of the reigning Prince of Mon- 
tenegro, and he has two sons in the Russian army. 
He is now an old man, but, like Don Carlos of Spain 
and the Duke of Orleans of France, is a recognized 
"pretender," and his name is always used by the 
"outs" as a shibboleth when they are trying to raise a 
revolution. 

The national assembly placed Milan IV. on the 
throne, and in 1869 he was crowned. While getting 
his education in Paris he had acquired habits of luxury, 
gambling and dissipation, which unfitted him for the 
responsibility of ruling a primitive and a restless 
country like Servia. His love of pleasure, his low 
tastes, reckless extravagance and selfish disposition 
were his ruin. He squandered the nation's money and 
lost his private fortune at cards. His wife, Natalie 
Keskho, daughter of a colonel in the Russian army, 



248 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

was compelled to leave him and was finally granted a 
divorce. Their domestic troubles and the scandals of 
the Servian court for a dozen years during the reign of 
Milan furnished gossip for all Europe. Finally, 
enervated by dissipation and despised by his subjects 
and all decent people, he abdicated in 1889 in favor of 
his son Alexander, a lad of thirteen, who is now king 
of Servia 

This precocious youth, when not more than fifteen 
years old, fell under the fascinations of Mme. Draga 
Maschin, who had been a lady-in-waiting to his 
mother, She is an ambitious and brilliant woman, 
gifted with considerable beauty, and the daughter of a 
cattle-dealer in Belgrade named Lunjevitza. When 
only seventeen years of age she married Colonel 
Maschin, an engineer in the Servian army, who 
obtained a divorce from her because of her scandalous 
relations with the young king, which began when he 
was a mere boy, and since that time she has resided in 
the palace and has absolutely controlled him. The 
Dowager Queen Natalie again and again attempted to 
bring the lad to his senses and break off the relations, 
but Mme. Draga had more influence than the mother, 
and actually compelled the latter to leave the palace 
and the Kingdom of Servia. Natalie is now residing at 
Biarritz, very much respected and beloved by many 
people, although she made herself very unhappy and 
excited much hostility among the Servian politicians 
by her sympathy with Russia, and her desire to bring 
Servia within the Russian influence. Whatever may 
have been said of her political imprudence, her char- 
acter has never been questioned. 

Draga was ambitious to share the throne with her 
youthful lover, although she was nearly twice his age, 





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POLITICAL SITUATION IN SERVIA 249 

but her high aspirations were stubbornly opposed by 
the ministers of state and the leading politicians of 
Servia. After the abdication of his father, Prince 
Alexander, during his minority, ruled the country 
through three regents, all venerable and patriotic 
men, but it became necessary for Draga to get rid of 
them for her own safety and the success of her 
schemes. She found the young king a willing tool, 
and one night, when he was only seventeen years old, 
he invited the regents to the palace, and while they 
sat at dinner they were arrested upon a charge of 
treason and thrown into prison, while he proclaimed 
himself king. ^\\\'s, coup d dtat ^2i's, successful, for the 
army admired the audacity of the youngster and sus- 
tained him. He has since married his mistress, and 
she remains as influential as ever, the most interesting 
and conspicuous figure in Servian politics. 

King Alexander is a degenerate, and his brief career 
is disgusting. He looks as if he had escaped from an 
asylum for the depraved, but is by no means feeble of 
mind or body. On the contrary, he has a vigorous 
constitution, and on two or three occasions has shown 
a nerve and power of command which would do credit 
to a great general. Unfortunately he has inherited 
some of the depravity of his father, the late King 
Milan, who was probably the worst ruler Europe has 
seen for a generation, but at the same time the son 
possesses a physical and moral courage that Milan 
never displayed. 

Draga Maschin, the daughter of the Servian cattle- 
dealer, reached the throne by a series of sacrifices and 
intrigues more sensational than have ever occurred 
outside of fictional literature; and yet she is not happy, 
because for their sins both she and her youthful 



250 The TURK a7id his LOST PROVINCES 

husband are boycotted by all the courts of Europe. 
Queen Victoria was so disgusted at the vulgar comedy 
enacted at Belgrade that she wanted to emphasize her 
disapproval by withdrawing the British minister. 
There have been a good many scandals in royal 
families, and some exist at the present time, which 
would make an interesting chapter, but there has been 
nothing for generations so nasty as that of Servia. As 
a consequence the royal couple have not been recog- 
nized in any way by other royal houses, much to the 
chagrin and disappointment of Queen Draga. 

The latest political crisis in Servia was due to the 
lack of a baby. The country was excited by intrigues 
attending the selection of an heir to the throne. Our 
guide sagaciously observed that "some people com- 
plain of having too many children, but this is the first 
time I ever heard of national politics being disturbed 
by the lack of one." Servia is a little country, but is 
an important factor in European politics, being one of 
the "buffer states" between Russia and the port on the 
Mediterranean which the Czar covets. Austrian influ- 
ence is stronger than Russian, yet there is a Russian 
party which also represents the interest of a family 
whose ancestors once occupied the throne, and are all 
the time suspected of being engaged in a conspiracy 
to recover power. These conspiracies have been more 
frequent than ever of late years, and the field for 
intrigue is the more fertile because Queen Draga has 
not furnished an heir to the crown, and the doctors 
say that she is not likely to do so. It therefore 
becomes necessary to select a successor to King Alex- 
ander in order to avoid revolution if he should 
suddenly die or be driven from the palace. By select- 
ing the heir-apparent in advance, future conspiracies 



POLITICAL SITUATION IN SERVIA 251 

may be avoided; but the political interests of a great 
part of the European continent are directly involved 
in the selection, and the question is, Shall Russia 
name the man? 

Negotiations were conducted for several years 
between the Servian minister of foreign affairs and 
Count Lamsdorff, the head of the foreign ofifice at St. 
Petersburg, for a visit to the Czar, which is the height 
of the ambition of both King Alexander and his 
Queen, and a matter of political importance for the 
Russians. This involved the political control of 
Servia, and the nomination of an heir to the Servian 
throne. Although Queen Draga had other plans, and 
desired her brother, a young lieutenant in the Servian 
army, to be proclaimed heir-apparent, she was willing 
to sacrifice him and all the rest of her relations if the 
Empress Alix would receive her. But the latter, who 
is a good woman, absolutely refused to do so, and 
even declined to answer a letter which Queen Draga 
wrote, imploring her kindly consideration. It is said 
that she threw the letter indignantly into the fire 
before reading it, as soon as she discovered whom it was 
from. 

It is one of the open secrets of the Servian court 
that Queen Draga proposed that if the Emperor and 
Empress of Russia would receive her husband and 
herself at their country palace near Odessa, King 
Alexander would nominate, as his successor on the 
Servian throne, Prince Mirko, son of Prince Nicholas 
of Montenegro, and brother of Helena, Queen of Italy. 
The royal family of Montenegro have very close rela- 
tions with the Russians, and are always educated at 
St. Petersburg. Prince Mirko is a great favorite with 
the widow dowager Czarina, and spent several years of 



252 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

his childhood in her family, developing a remarkable 
taste for music. He is such a clever composer that 
his music is played by all the Russian military bands, 
and is equally popular in Italy. He is a good-looking 
lad of twenty-one, of stalwart figure and athletic 
habits. His life has been very different from that of 
the depraved young King of Servia; in fact, all the 
members of the family of Montenegrins have been 
admirably brought up and are persons of cultivation 
and refinement. 

Two of his sisters, who were also educated under the 
direction of the dowager Czarina, have married 
members of the Russian imperial family, and their 
dowry was provided by the late Czar. Danilo, crown 
prince of Montenegro, married a daughter of the Duke 
of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and is, therefore, a 
brother-in-law of the Grand Duke Vladimir, who gave 
him a million rubles to start housekeeping. Thus the 
interest of the Russian imperial family, as well as the 
ministers of state, was excited by the prospect of 
securing a throne for young Mirko, and the Servians 
realized that such an inducement would have great 
weight with the Czarina Alix and might possibly per- 
suade her to consent to receive a woman with even so 
bad a record as Queen Draga. 

The Italian interest in the appointment of Mirko 
was equally great. Queen Helena was an active par- 
ticipant in the negotiations with Servia for Mirko's 
nomination. The Servians do not care so much for 
Italy as for Russia. Queen Draga did not care 
whether the Queen of Italy received her or not, but of 
course appreciated that Queen Helena might exert 
some influence upon the Czarina. 

There was still another and very important political 



POLITICAL SITUATION IN SERVIA 253 

phase to the negotiations. Peter Karageorgovitch, 
the "pretender" to the Servian throne, married a sister 
of Mirko, the eldest daughter of Prince Nicholas, and, 
although she died in 1887, he is still considered a 
member of the Montenegrin family, and the relations 
between his sons and their uncles and aunts in Monte- 
negro are very cordial. Two of these sons are now at 
a military school at St. Petersburg, and a third is in 
the Russian army. It might be that Peter would 
renounce formally all pretensions on the part of 
himself and the Karageorgovitch family to the throne 
of Servia if his brother-in-law, Mirko, were proclaimed 
heir-apparent. This would be a great advantage to 
Servia, and would do more than any other one thing 
to put an end to the conspiracies and political agita- 
tions which have distracted this country. 

King Alexander, as well as Queen Draga, will have 
to swallow a good deal of chagrin if Mirko is selected, 
for that depraved sovereign received a most humili- 
ating snub from the lovely Princess Xenia, the fourth 
daughter of Prince Nicholas, which he cannot have for- 
gotten. Before his marriage with Draga Maschin, the 
boy king agreed to yield to the importunities of his 
ministers and seek a wife elsewhere, and there was 
some correspondence concerning an alliance with the 
royal family of Montenegro. King Alexander made a 
visit to Cetinje, the Montenegrin capital, to become 
acquainted with the young lady who was recom- 
mended as a suitable bride, but when the -Princess 
Xenia saw him she was so disgusted with his appear- 
ance and manners that she refused to sit at the same 
dinner-table or receive any attention whatever from 
him, and Alexander had to be told that his suit would 
not be successful. He left Cetinje in a state of furi- 



254 T^^e TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

ous indignation, and when he returned to his capital 
he dismissed from office and banished from the coun- 
try all the members of his cabinet who had advised 
him to go there, and married Draga Maschin forth- 
with. 

There was a sensational scene at the palace when 
Queen Draga's plan to proclaim her brother as heir- 
apparent was disclosed. He is said to be a reputable 
young fellow and a good soldier, about twenty-four 
years of age, but he has no claims upon the throne, 
and nobody wanted him except his sister, who, the 
people think, has already received more consideration 
than she is entitled to. His name is Nikodem Lunje- 
vitza. At first nobody believed the story that floated 
out of some mysterious quarter, that Alexander 
intended to adopt his brother-in-law as a son and 
name him as the future king of Servia, because it was 
so audacious as to be incredible, but within a few days 
the confirmation was abundant. The king expressed 
his intention to three or four different persons. Then 
the ministry took up the matter and decided, after 
long and serious consultation, that it would be an act 
of duty and patriotism to immediately check the ambi- 
tion of their queen. Therefore, the entire cabinet, 
with Mr. Vuitsch, the prime minister, at their head, 
called at the palace at an unusual hour and asked for 
an audience. Alexander must have suspected the 
purpose of their visit, for, after keeping them waiting 
for fifteen or twenty minutes, he appeared in the full 
uniform of the commander-in-chief of the Servian 
army, with his wife upon his arm. Advancing a few 
steps from the entrance, the royal couple stood arm- 
in-arm, with a defiant air, while the eight ministers 
arose and saluted them. Mr. Vuitsch, in a concilia- 



POLITICAL SITUATION IN SERVIA 255 

tory way, suggested that as they desired to consult 
the king upon a matter of importance to the state, the 
presence of Her Majesty was not necessary. But Alex- 
ander had evidently been through a rehearsal, for he 
replied firmly and without hesitation: 

"The Queen of Servia is interested as much as 
myself in all affairs of state." 

The prime minister bowed in acquiescence and 
proceeded to say that disquieting rumors concerning 
the selection of an heir to the throne had been in 
circulation for several days, and had reached the ears 
of the cabinet from unofficial sources. No notice had 
been taken of them until they had been confirmed by 
persons who were in the confidence of His Majesty 
more than his own cabinet and lawful advisers. There- 
fore they deemed it their duty to enter a remonstrance 
and to remind him that the Skupshtina^ which was 
about to assemble, under the constitution must be 
consulted, and their approval obtained before the 
proclamation of an heir-apparent could be formally 
made. He was confident, the premier said, that a 
majority of that body, which was Radical in sentiment, 
would never agree to the choice His Majesty had made, 
and, with the history of Servia so familiar in his 
mind, His Majesty must recognize the danger to him- 
self and to the country of a difference with his parlia- 
ment upon so important a subject as the selection of 
his successor. He, therefore, begged that, before any 
formal steps were taken, the leaders of the parliament 
should be consulted. 

Alexander here interrupted, and shouted in an 
excited manner: "I shall carry out my will." 

"The will of the people must also be considered," 
answered the prime minister firmly. 



256 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

Queen Draga, who seemed perfectly cool in contrast 
to the agitation of her husband, motioned to the 
latter to be silent, and said, 'The will of the monarch 
is the more important," then, whirling the king 
around, she almost dragged him to the door, and 
the royal couple left the audience-chamber without 
the usual formalities. The cabinet exchanged glances 
and retired. Within a few days they took occasion to 
have the leader of the Radical majority in the parlia- 
ment send a message to the queen by a person who 
would be sure to deliver it correctly, that her plan to 
name her brother as heir to the throne would never be 
agreed to, and admonished her that her own safety 
required her to relinquish it. 

There have been frequent attempts to assassinate 
the queen, and at one time a story was circulated that 
she had committed suicide. It is believed to have 
originated with her enemies to cover a failure at 
assassination. She is extremely unpopular, and her 
vindictiveness has incited a personal hostility and 
provoked attempts upon her life. Alexander is a 
mere puppet in her hands. He does nothing without 
her approval. She is actually the head of the Servian 
government. 



XIII 

THE CAPITAL OF SERVIA 

The train rolled into a fine large station at ten 
o'clock on a beautiful night in October, 1901, when we 
had an opportunity to observe how things are managed 
in a hotbed of revolutions, for in Servia there is more 
politics than in Kansas or Nebraska, and the "ins" are 
always afraid the "outs" are going to raise a rumpus. 
As a consequence, the country is often compared to a 
volcano, and the government officials are very cautious 
about admitting strangers and political exiles into the 
capital. 

An hour or so before we entered the Servian bound- 
aries from Budapest, an officer in a dizzy uniform of 
scarlet and gold braid collected our passports, and 
asked a series of questions concerning our residences, 
birthplaces, religion, professions and "stations in 
life," which we answered with accuracy and patience. 
Then, shortly before we arrived at Belgrade, he 
returned them with the most polite compliments. 
Alighting from the car, we followed the crowd into a 
sort of chute upon the station platform, like those 
used for cattle in stock-yards, at the end of which two 
more officers stood, and again demanded our passports 
and railway tickets. Having complied, we passed on 
into a big room with benches running up and down the 
center, where our luggage, with that of other arrivals, 
was arranged. 

The customs office did not show us much attention; 
their inspection of our luggage was over in a minute; 

257 



258 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

but they overhauled that of the native passengers as if 
they meant to find something. I suppose they were 
looking for arms, ammunition, incriminating docu- 
ments or something of that sort, or perhaps only for 
liquors and tobacco, which are government monopo- 
lies; but the examinations were very thorough, and 
both men and women had to tumble the contents of 
their bags and boxes out upon the bench in a most 
exasperating manner. One man, who had ridden with 
us all the way from Budapest, evidently had been 
indulging in a little extravagance, and had half a 
dozen new collars and cuffs. These attracted the 
attention of the inspector, who counted them three or 
four times, and then took them into an inner room, 
where he weighed them, and collected a few coppers 
in duty. Hot with indignation the owner searched his 
pockets, slammed the duty down upon the bench 
and hurled about a bushel of Servian oaths at the 
inspector, who took it as coolly as possible and went 
on examining the luggage of other people. The indig- 
nant man then began to collect his scattered effects; 
but between every three or four handfuls he would 
explode again. I do not know who he was, but if he 
ever catches that customs inspector in a dark alley 
there will be a homicide reported in the Servian news- 
papers. 

Our trunks were loaded upon the box of an ancient 
cab drawn by a pair of diminutive animals, which had 
more spirit than flesh, and whirled around the corner 
of the station to a brilliantly lighted office, which the 
driver told us was the police headquarters, where our 
passports could be recovered. The officers were very 
polite, but they wanted to know my profession. There 
are often reasons why one does not care to advertise 



THE CAPITAL OF SERVIA 



259 



himself as a newspaper reporter. It sometimes inter- 
feres with the success of a mission. I told them I was 
a traveler, but they desired something a little more 
definite. So, for the time being, I concluded to be a 
gentleman of leisure, and was visiting Servia in pursuit 
of the picturesque. The chief was extremely deferen- 
tial and hoped he had not put me to any inconvenience. 
He insisted upon shaking hands, and bowed us to the 
door with the grace of a dancing-master. 

The big cafe of the hotel to which we were driven. 
was filled with blue smoke. Underneath the cloud we 
could discern a crowd of men earnestly engaged in a 
discussion which they kept up until an early hour in 
the morning, and we learned that the chief occupation 
of a large portion of the inhabitants was drinking 
beer, talking politics and smoking cigarettes. The 
next morning was Sunday, and the cafe was again 
filled at an early hour, with women as well as men, and 
every table was occupied all day long, while the ciga- 
rette smoke hung over their heads like a blue mist and 
concealed the ceiling. It was always so as long as we 
remained in Belgrade. The cafe was crowded when 
we came downstairs in the morning and when we went 
to bed at night, and the consumption of beer, wine, 
coffee and cigarettes must be very large. 

Sunday morning the -king gave an audience to the 
Skupshtina, as parliament is called, and it was, there- 
fore, one of the great days of the year. The bishops 
and the clergy, in their magnificent, embroidered vest- 
ments, were even more imposing than the generals in 
uniforms of blue, scarlet and green, with gold braid. 
The members of the diplomatic corps in court dress 
were led by the Turkish minister and his suite. The 
Austrian and Russian representatives were handsomely 



26o The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

decorated and made a fine appearance. They were 
watched with interest because it is supposed that both 
are intriguing for the control of the country. The 
members of the Skupshtina were clad in black 
evening dress, with embroidered shirt-fronts, white 
ties and white gloves. A band of music stood in the 
area beside the palace and played lively airs while the 
ceremonies were going on, and a battalion of the 
king's bodyguard, in brilliant uniforms like those of 
the Austrian Hussars, was drawn up in two lines, 
between which everybody had to pass. I looked at 
those troops with peculiar interest, because upon their 
loyalty the life af the king depends. Most of them 
are young men, some mere boys, but they all had 
intelligent faces and seemed conscious of their respon- 
sibility. 

The royal palace, which is in the center of the city 
of Belgrade, is in two parts and disconnected. One 
resembles a French chateau and looks like a comfort- 
able home, being pleasantly and tastefully fitted up. 
It is only two stories in height, the lower floor contain- 
ing the drawing, dining and reception rooms and the 
upper floor the living apartments. It is large enough 
for an ordinary family, and would make an acceptable 
abode for a gentleman of wealth and culture. The 
other part, which. is across an area forty or fifty feet 
wide, is a more pretentious structure, which rises next 
to the street, without grounds, and looks like a public 
building. It is known as the New Konak, and was 
built by Milan, the gambler king, for entertaining 
purposes. The exterior as well as the interior is very 
pretentious, being of stuccoed brick, with elaborate 
moldings, four stories high and painted yellow, like 
nearly all the government buildings and business 



THE CAPITAL OF SERVIA 261 

blocks. Within is a series of magnificent apartments, 
equal to those in the palaces at Berlin and Vienna, 
designed by a French architect and finished with 
tapestries and gilding at a cost that was enormous for 
the size and wealth of the country. The guards are 
thick around the palace, which indicates either lack of 
confidence or a cowardly king. But the precaution is 
well taken. 

Sunday morning everybody goes to market, and the 
display of fish, meats and vegetables is large and 
interesting. On one side of the principal square were 
butchers, hucksters, and dealers in knickknacks from 
Servia, while everything on the other came from Hun- 
gary, across the River Save, and paid duty. The 
latter and their wares were much better looking, and 
the venders wore better garments than the Servians, 
many of them appearing in the Hungarian national 
costume. Their butter and cheese were more appeti- 
zing and were displayed in a neater manner; their vege- 
tables were superior to those of Servian growth, the 
meat was of a better quality, and it was, therefore, not 
surprising when we were told that the wealthy class of 
the population patronized the Hungarians and paid a 
little more for their supplies. The common people 
buy food at the Servian end of the market. The fruits 
were beautiful, especially the grapes and plums. 
From those plums are made the prunes of commerce, 
and a large part of our supply comes from Servia. 
Plums are the largest and most valuable crop of the^ 
country. The exports of dried prunes were more than 
forty thousand tons in 1901, and from thirty to forty 
thousand tons were used in the distillation of plum 
brandy. 

Servia is an agricultural country, and out of a popu- 



262 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

lation of 2,312,000, eighty-seven per cent are engaged 
in farming, the number of individual farms being 
293,421, generally comprising from twenty to thirty 
acres each. Over 300,000 acres are devoted to plum 
trees. The next best crops are wheat, grass and 
corn. Pigs are one of the staple products. After the 
war with Bulgaria a few years ago, in which Servia 
was defeated, it was proposed to pay an indemnity of 
a million and a half of swine instead of cash. There 
are large flocks of sheep and a good deal of wool is 
handled, and the ranges are well stocked with cattle. 
Whenever Servia has a period of peace the flocks 
and herds increase with great rapidity, and the wealth 
of the country grows like compound Jnterest. Servia 
has been extensively advertised as "a poor man's 
paradise," as the soil, climate and other conditions 
are favorable for people of small means. Farms can 
be bought for small sums of money, and the ranges for 
cattle and sheep are usually public lands, which cost 
nothing except a small tax which is paid into the 
treasury of the township or commune. Recently 
several new industries have been established. A Ger- 
man company has built a large beet-sugar factory within 
sight of Belgrade, and a linen manufactory has been 
erected by Belgian capital. There are several match 
factories, flour-mills, tanneries and breweries, and the 
government is proposing to pay subsidies to encourage 
the introduction of woolen mills and other mechanical 
industries in different parts of the country. Servia is 
prospering. There is plenty of work at good wages, 
but at the same time considerable emigration to the 
United States and to the neighboring countries, 
because of a disinclination among the young men to 
spend five years of their lives in the military service. 



THE CAPITAL OF SERVIA 263 

At market we saw a bride in the native dress, who 
had just come from the church where the marriage 
ceremony had been performed, and was receiving the 
congratulations of her friends and neighbors, while her 
proud husband stood at her side and was envied. She 
was a buxom damsel of the Swedish type, with blond 
hair and a clear blue eye. Her head was covered with 
a peculiar turban, from which hung clusters of silver 
coins. Long strings of coins were suspended from a 
necklace and a girdle, and hung over her shoulders 
and hips, and must have been very heavy. These 
were her dowry. She had begun to save them during 
her childhood, and instead of putting them in a 
savings-bank had strung them together for ornaments 
and had worn some or all of them on festive occasions 
to attract the attention of the eligible young men of 
the neighborhood. They were of different denomi- 
nations, large and small, and were arranged with a 
good deal of taste. The custom of the country permits 
a bride to control her dowry after marriage, and many 
women are able to preserve their wedding coins and 
transmit them to their children. Sometimes they are 
exchanged for a piece of land, a cottage, or cattle, and 
sometimes the coins are taken, one by one, from the 
string, to meet emergencies in domestic economy. As 
a rule, however, the peasants of Servia are well-to-do, 
and as long as peace can be preserved they are able to 
live comfortably and save money. 

The city of Belgrade lies upon a narrow, elevated 
peninsula between the River Save and the Danube. It 
has improved considerably during the last quarter of 
a century. The streets are wide and lined with fine 
buildings after the Austrian style of architecture, with 
frequent open squares which the public uses for 



264 l^^e TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

market-places. The older part of the city, nearest to 
the banks of the rivers, which was built during Turkish 
domination, is composed of low buildings of adobe, 
with roofs of red tile, fronting upon narrow and 
crooked streets and abounding in filth and bad smells. 
One part is given up to the Jewish population, who 
are huddled together in narrow quarters called the 
Ghetto, although many are supposed to be rich and to 
own large areas of valuable real estate in other sec- 
tions of the city. There is no persecution of the Jews 
in Servia. Freedom of worship is granted by the con- 
stitution, although the state religion is the Greek 
orthodox. Out of a total population of 2,312,484 
souls 2,281,018 are communicants of that church. The 
Roman Catholics number 10,411; the Mohammedan 
gypsies, 11,586; Turks, 2,489; Jews, 5,102; Protest- 
ants, 1,002. 

The prevailing prejudice against the Jews is due to 
their success in business rather than to religious 
scruples. They are not allowed to hold office, 
although there is no legal prohibition, and are often 
hooted at in the streets. In ordinary business transac- 
tions the keen rivalry of the Jews is exasperating to 
their Christian competitors, and their commercial 
enterprise in all directions has interfered considerably 
with the prosperity of the natives. In the mercantile 
trade they have the best shops and undersell the 
Christians; in brokerage and the commission business 
they show a shrewdness and prudence which enable 
them to make money while others lose, and they have 
thus acquired wealth and commercial influence which 
make them objects of envy. I did not hear any 
Christian say a good word of a Jew in Servia, but 
at the same time I was not able to discover an 



THE CAPITAL OF SERVIA 265 

instance in which a member of that race has failed to 
fulfill his contracts or has asked more than his due. 
The persecution of the Jews in the neighboring 
Kingdom of Roumania, where they form a large 
portion of the population, is becoming desperate. 
There the restrictions of the Middle Ages are still in 
force. Jewish children are not allowed to attend the 
public schools; Jewish students are not admitted to 
the technical schools or the university; Jewish opera- 
tives cannot be employed in manufacturing establish- 
ments; the Jews are prohibited from practicing 
professions and engaging in certain kinds of commer- 
cial business, the object being to drive them out of the 
country. All this is in violation of the provisions of 
the Treaty of Berlin, under which the Kingdom of Rou- 
mania received the protection of the great Powers, but 
it is useless for the Jews to appeal because they cannot 
get a hearing. There is no such trouble in Servia or 
Bulgaria, and for that reason a considerable emigration 
from Roumania is moving that way. 

Since the time of King Michael, Servia has had an 
excellent school system and a law making education 
compulsory. All children between the ages of seven 
and fourteen must attend school, and since 1865, when 
only four per cent of the population could read and 
write, there has been remarkable advancement. There 
are a number of academies, a school of commerce, an 
agricultural college, a school of wine-culture and a 
university with four hundred and thirty-six students, 
of whom twenty-eight are women. In addition to 
these there are also twenty-seven hospitens, or guests — 
students who are too poor to pay the matriculation 
fees, but are allowed to attend the lectures and enjoy 
the full benefit of the university training without 



266 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

receiving degrees. The university occupies a fine 
building opposite the principal square, and has a well- 
selqcted library of forty thousand volumes. The 
entire expense of the university is paid by the national 
treasury, and during the year 1900 was ;?5i09,ooo. 
There are four faculties — law, medicine, science and 
philosophy. 

Some of the school buildings are excellent examples 
of modern construction and convenience, and they 
show an educational enterprise that is creditable to the 
country. The government supports a museum of 
natural history, a theater for the encouragement of 
opera and the drama in the native tongue, and a small 
picture-gallery, which contains an interesting collec- 
tion of portraits of national characters and several 
examples of old masters which have been presented 
from time to time. There are also a number of paint- 
ings by native artists. One of them, representing the 
coronation of an early king of Servia, was awarded a 
gold medal at the Paris Salon in 1900, and was 
purchased by the government as an encouragement to 
other artists. Nearly all the pictures by native artists 
relate to historical events — warfare, massacres and 
assassinations, dying women and headless men, for 
the history of Servia has been a chronicle of horrors. 

There are a public park and children's playground, 
with swings, merry-go-rounds, toboggan slides and 
other amusements; a musical garden, where a military 
band plays two or three times a week; and a botanical 
collection that promises well. In the parks and public 
square are a number of statues and monuments to 
Servian military heroes, poets and literary men. 

The Servian language is a mixture of the Russian 
and Greek and is similar to that of Bulgaria. 



THE CAPITAL OF SERVIA 267 

The cathedral is a commonplace building with a 
fantastic tower of Byzantine style. It is interesting 
only because it contains the tombs of Kings Milos 
and Michael. The epitaph of the latter reads: "Thy 
memory shall not perish," Karageorge is buried in 
the woods in the mountains where he was assassinated. 
King Milan was buried in Vienna, where he died in 
1899. t 

At the extreme point of the peninsula, at the 
junction of the Save and the Danube, is a promontory 
rising between three and four hundred feet, with sheer 
cliffs at the point and on both sides. Here a'fortress 
was erected by the Romans before the time of Christ. 
Much of the original wall still remains and the 
inclosure has been used continuously for military pur- 
poses for at least two thousand years. There are two 
series of fortifications, both protected by moats and 
double walls, and the citadel must have been impreg- 
nable before the invention of heavy artillery. It com- 
mands a wide valley, and the view from the point is 
one of the most attractive in Europe. 

The castle is in an excellent state of preservation 
and the outer walls are used as a prison for all kinds 
of offenders. The prison is well kept, the inmates are 
humanely treated and every Sunday morning are 
allowed to send to the public market articles of their 
handiwork to be sold for their own benefit. Every 
prisoner is allowed to prosecute his trade if he has one 
and enjoy the proceeds of the sale of everything he 
makes. If he is a shoemaker or a tailor he can con- 
tinue to work for his customers, and one day of the 
week he is allowed to receive visitors, who bring him 
orders and take away goods that are finished. Women 
prisoners do sewing and embroidery. At the market 



268 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

on Sunday the stand for the sale of prison-made goods 
is attended by officers of the police, who take the 
names of purchasers and the prices of the articles 
purchased. During the last few years the administra- 
tion of justice has been much improved and the courts 
are said to be well managed. 

Within the walls of the citadel are barracks for a 
regiment of artillery, residences for the commander of 
the army and his staff, a school for the education of 
non-commissioned officers, a church which the soldiers 
are required to attend, and the headquarters of the 
military administration. There is also a memorial 
mosque, which was erected in honor of one of the 
Turkish pashas who governed Servia early in the last 
century, and, strange to say, was beloved by the 
people. He was murdered by the Janizaries because 
he was too just and liberal. 

The remains of Roman times are interesting and 
among the best preserved in Europe. In the center of 
the citadel is a well containing fifty-five feet of water, 
on a level with the Danube River, which is reached by 
descending four hundred and thirty-two steps. The 
well is surrounded by a brick wall three feet thick. 
The steps wind around it, and you go down, down, 
down into the darkness of the bowels of the earth, 
until the water-level is reached, where there is a 
chamber of considerable size, evidently intended for 
storage of ammunition. This well is said to be nearly 
two thousand years old, yet the brick-work is almost 
perfect. It was built by the Romans to furnish water 
for the garrison in case of a siege. 

Below the walls of the citadel, upon the banks of 
the Danube, are two large barracks capable of accom- 
modating twenty-five hundred men, with magazines for 



THE CAPITAL OF SERVIA 269 

the storage of powder, and an old tower called the 
Nebojsche, or torture-tower, which is supposed to have 
formerly had an underground connection with the 
citadel, but it has been filled up and forgotten for cen- 
turies. Here prisoners were taken to be tortured and 
executed, and their bodies were thrown into the 
Danube. 

Military service is compulsory. Every young man 
of sound body, when he becomes of age, must serve 
two years in the army, eight years in the reserve, and 
ten years in the national militia, or second reserve. 
The active strength of the army in time of peace is 
35,640 men, the first reserve 160,751, and the second 
reserve 126,110, making a total of 322,501 men capable 
of military service in time of war. The army is organ- 
ized and uniformed on the Russian plan, and has been 
trained by Russian officers. 

Every man who has performed military service is 
entitled to the right of suffrage, and all others who pay 
taxes to the extent of fifteen francs a year. 

There are no paupers in Servia, and therefore no 
need of almshouses. There is a free hospital for both 
military and civilian patients, which is well kept. 

Three miles from town, a park called Topschider, 
reached by a line of electric cars, surrounds a country 
palace in which King Michael lived much of his time. 
There is a farm where he conducted experiments in 
agriculture and horticulture. In the upper rooms of 
the palace are cases containing his library of agricul- 
tural works, many of which are in English; glass jars 
filled with seeds which he imported from foreign 
countries for experimental purposes, and glass cases 
containing wax casts of apples, pears, peaches, grapes 
and other fruits which he raised. Here he lived the 



270 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

life of a farmer and devoted his time to studying the 
interests of his people; and here he was assassinated 
by conspirators who were not allowed to have the 
share they wanted in the control of the government. 

The park is very pretty, and in front of the palace 
is a group of noble old sycamores, one of which is said 
to be the largest tree in Europe. Its branches extend 
over a diameter of more than two hundred feet and 
are sustained by props. We paced it and made it 
thirty paces from the trunk to the tip of the outermost 
branch. The trunk is twenty-two feet in circumfer- 
ence, and the tree is perfectly healthy and sym- 
metrical. 

The house, or palace, so called, is rude and uncom- 
fortable. There is nothing attractive about it. The 
rooms are dark, dismal and ill-furnished, but it was 
the favorite residence of King Milos and of King 
Michael who were men of primitive tastes. Milos 
died in an upper chamber he used to occupy, and 
everything remains as he left it — his bed, his clothing, 
his slippers and a tattered old dressing-gown hanging 
on a nail. 



PART IV 

Bosnia 



271 



PART IV 

BOSNIA 
XIV 

A REMARKABLE EXAMPLE OF ADMINISTRATION 

The problem which is puzzling the United States in 
the Philippine Islands should give our people a 
particular interest in the little state of Bosnia, where 
a similar situation has been successfully handled 
by the Austrians, From 1463 to 1878 Bosnia and 
Herzegovina were a part of the Turkish Empire, 
and are nominally so still, although under Austrian 
authority. While subject to the Turks, they prac- 
tically vanished from the current of civilization. 
Scarcely a ray of light or progress brightened the 
intellectual, social and industrial stagnation that set- 
tled upon these people until 1875, when, exasperated 
by extortion, taxation, robbery, rapine, murder and 
religious persecution, they rose in rebellion. Upon 
the failure of the Sultan to restore order, the great 
Powers of Europe, at the Berlin Conference of 1878, 
placed the two provinces under the protection of 
Austria, although still requiring them to pay tribute 
to Turkey. 

The success of the Austrians has been chiefly due to 
the methods adopted by Count von Kallay, the able 
Hungarian statesman who has been practically a dic- 
tator since 1878. For Austria to reconcile a proud 
people of different races and religions was no easy 

273 



274 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

task. The results speak volumes for the forbearance 
and tact shown by the officials, and demonstrate the 
practicability of governing an alien race by justice, 
benevolence and liberal treatment. 

Thirty years ago Bosnia was in the same condition 
that Macedonia is to-day, except that it was worse in 
the respect that it had a much larger proportion of 
Mohammedans and Turkish outlaws. The population 
were not fit for liberty, and if it had been granted 
them by the Berlin Conference, as they demanded, it 
would have been a curse instead of a blessing. A 
German writer, shortly before the Russo-Turkish war, 
described the situation in these words: "The misrule 
existing in the whole of the Turkish Empire is so great 
and so universal that it can be best characterized as a 
state of chronic and chaotic anarchy. One province, 
however, and that perhaps the least known of all, has 
in this respect a sad preeminence. It is a province 
where one can travel only with the greatest difficulty, 
and with not less danger than in the wilds of Kurdis- 
tan, where the intolerance and hate against the Chris- 
tians is more living and active than around fanatical 
Damascus, and where the condition of the people is 
more abject and hopeless than that of any Fellaheen 
upon the Nile. That province is Bosnia." 

One who visits that country to-day can scarcely 
believe that such conditions could have existed only a 
short time ago — the people are so peaceful, con- 
tented and prosperous. Crime is almost unknown. 
Railroads reach every corner of the province, and the 
freighthouses are fed by long caravans of carts hauled 
over excellent highways. The towns are filled with 
new and handsome houses, factories have been built to 
utilize the water power, a university, colleges, acad- 



AN EXAMPLE OF ADMINISTRATION 275 

emies, training-schools and other institutions have 
been established to qualify the people to make the 
most intelligent use of their opportunities. Members 
of the different religious faiths mix with each other 
on amicable terms and show mutual respect and 
mutual toleration; the courts are wisely and honestly 
administered, justice is awarded to every citizen 
regardless of his religion or social position, taxes are 
low and honestly collected and disbursed. There has 
been little corruption in office and whenever it has 
been discovered it has been severely punished. The 
people have learned for the first time in their history 
that honest complaints will be patiently listened to 
and that wrongs will be redressed. The introduction 
of free education has enabled them to appreciate the 
value of such a government, and, although the older 
peasants are still ignorant, backward and distrustful, 
the younger generation show ambition and enterprise, 
and are conducting their affairs with intelligence and 
order. 

The most convincing proof of the change in the con- 
dition of affairs is furnished by the statistics of crime 
and violence and the increase in population. Thirty 
years ago brigandage was a recognized profession. 
There were no railways, and few wagon roads. When 
people were compelled to travel they went in large 
parties, fully armed, or were accompanied by an 
escort of soldiers. Murder was not considered a crime 
and the number of people killed by the soldiers or by 
each other was not recorded. Robbery was as com- 
mon as lying. To-day human life is as safe in Bosnia 
as in Illinois. Travel is safer there because there has 
never been a train robbery in that country. During 
the last ten years, out of a total population of nearly 



276 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

2,000,000, the homicides have averaged six a year, and 
in 1900 there were only two. There has been no case 
of highway robbery since 1895. Which of the states 
in the American Union can show a better record? 

Under Turkish rule the population was not counted 
but in 1879, one year after Austrian authority was 
recognized, the census showed 1,111,216 people. In 
1885 this total had increased to 1,336,097, in 1895 to 
1,568,092, and in 1900 to 1,879,978, of which 548,632 
were Turks, 673,246 Greek orthodox, 494,124 Roman 
Catholics, 9,311 Jews, 4,695 Protestants and repre- 
sentatives of nearly every religion. This change has 
been accomplished by the exercise of a strong, firm, 
honest and benevolent government. The proclama- 
tion announcing the occupation of the country by 
Austria promised that all the people in the land 
should enjoy equal rights before the law and should be 
protected in life, property and worship. That promise 
has been kept. Order has been brought out of 
anarchy; all races and religions are not only tolerated, 
but are encouraged, and the immigration from other 
Turkish provinces has been large. 

Whatever has been done in Bosnia might also be 
done in Macedonia but for the jealousy of the Powers. 

Bosnia and Herzegovina are situated in the north- 
west corner of the Balkan Peninsula, bounded on the 
north by the Slavonian province of Austro-Hungary, 
on the east by Servia, Turkey and Montenegro, and on 
the south and west by Dalmatia and the Adriatic Sea. 
The country is mountainous, being broken by high 
peaks, deep glens, ridges, beautifully wooded hills, 
winding streams, and rich alluvial basins, which yield 
large crops of grain — wheat, barley, rye, oats and 
other cereals — and are especially adapted to fruit. 



AN EXAMPLE OF ADMINISTRATION 277 

The landscape is a series of terraces which slope 
gradually in a southwestward direction and finally 
disappear in the Adriatic, whose coast is broken into 
an archipelago of lovely islands. The Dalmatian 
coast is one of the most enchanting pictures in the 
universe, and its attractions have been the theme of 
poets since the days of Homer. 

A curious phenomenon is the abrupt and unreason- 
able behavior of the rivers and streams in that region, 
which, like the North Platte of Nebraska, disappear 
from the surface of the earth and lose themselves in 
underground passages called />o?tars, reappearing in the 
most eccentric and surprising manner. The Narenta 
is the only river that finds its way to the sea entirely 
above ground. 

Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia, a city of 60,000 
inhabitants, almost in the geographical center of the 
country, is reached by railway from Belgrade or from 
Budapest. You change from the trunk-line of the Aus- 
trian state railway at a town called Bosna-brod on the 
Save River, which is the boundary of the province, 
and there you take a narrow-gauge line belonging to 
the Bosnian government, which winds through narrow- 
defiles in the mountains until it reaches the Adriatic at 
Metcovic, the port of Bosnia, although within Dalma- 
tian territory. Along the railway villages and villas 
cling to the mountain sides like swallow-nests and are 
very picturesque, the older ones being of oriental 
architecture with towers and minarets, and roofs of 
red tiles. There are several medieval castles, more or 
less in ruins, interspersed with modern paper mills, 
tanneries, cigarette factories and other industrial 
enterprises introduced by the Austrians. One of those 
old castles has been converted into a prison, and is 



278 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

managed on the Pennsylvania plan, with the most 
enlightened methods for correction, reformation and 
education. Under the Turks prisons were more com- 
mon, but were used to satisfy vengeance, to extort 
money from unwilling pockets and to torture political 
suspects and offenders. They were similar to the 
prisons of Cuba, perhaps worse; but under the present 
system of government the prevention of crime and the 
reformation of criminals have been the subject of great 
solicitude and scientific study. 

Looking from the car windows between villages you 
would think the train was running through the Rocky 
Mountains. The fantastic crags and peaks of granite, 
the deep cuttings, the many tunnels, the chasms 
spanned by steel bridges and the "right of way" carved 
out of the sides of precipices, with the roaring, foam- 
ing streams, would remind you of Colorado. The 
train is hauled over the grand divide, 2,667 ^^^^ 
high, by what is called the "rack-and-pinion process," 
which, however, must remain a mystery, because it 
does not stop for passengers to inspect; but it is some 
description of a cable-and-cog-wheel arrangement. 
The longest tunnel is 700 yards. The trains run very 
slowly and carefully, as if afraid of accidents, and it is 
a long journey to cover comparatively a few miles. 
As a bird flies, the distance between Bosna-brod and 
Sarajevo is less than a hundred miles, but winding in 
and out among the gorges and following the long 
curves made necessary to regulate the grade, you get 
an all-day's ride, but finally reach a vast garden of 
vineyards, olive groves, foliage plants and truck farms 
in an amphitheater surrounded by snow-clad peaks. 

Near Sarajevo is a mountain called Trebovic, 5,100 
feet high, which furnishes a sublime view of the sur- 



AN EXAMPLE OF ADMINISTRATION 279 

rounding country for a radius of fifty miles within the 
circle of the mountain. There is a pavilion at the 
summit, reached by a good bridle path, which was 
built, like everything else, by the Austrian officials. 

Approaching the city of Sarajevo the railway runs 
through a famous gorge. The rails cling to the granite 
walls that inclose the Narenta River in a way that 
reminds you of the Black Canon of Utah. The gorge 
is twelve miles long, peaks 6,000 and 7,000 feet high rise 
on either side, and the precipices are almost perpendic- 
ular to the height of 1,000 feet above the riverbed. 

Sarajevo is a partly modernized Turkish town, and 
in its architecture and arrangement a curious combina- 
tion of the old and the new, the Orient and the Occi- 
dent. It is half Turkish and half Austrian, and so 
many of the inhabitants cling tenaciously to their 
native customs that they add to the picturesqueness 
of the place. I was told that the city contains a larger 
variety of types of the oriental races than even Con- 
stantinople, and that in the bazaar may be seen daily a 
sample of every native costume worn from the Straits 
of Gibraltar to the Red Sea. It requires much local 
experience and sartorial knowledge to distinguish a 
Dalmatian from a Serb, a Magyar from an Albanian, 
or a Greek from a Jew, but whatever their ancestry 
or religion may be — Slav, Semite, Moslem, Egyptian, 
Greek, Slavonian, Latin, Swiss, Saxon, Teuton, Frank, 
Magyar, Turk, Russian, Swede, Spaniard, Moor or 
Nubian — they live in peace and harmony, each recog- 
nizing the scruples of the other concerning the creed 
and the customs of his faith, and under the firm and 
kindly rule of the Austrians they dwell together in 
unity. Many of the women also adhere to their native 
costumes, except the wives and daughters of the middle 



28o The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

class. When you see a veiled woman you may know 
that she is a Moslem, but those who wear their faces 
uncovered are either Christians or Jews. 

Austrian officers in uniform seem to be numerous 
and popular, and all classes of the people are grateful 
for their deliverance from the unspeakable Turk. 
The fathers and mothers still find it difficult to over- 
come their suspicions and distrust of their rulers, 
which have been bred into their bones through long 
centuries of deception, cruelty and corruption. 

The capital of Bosnia occupies a sightly place in a 
wide valley surrounded by picturesque mountains, and 
is divided into two nearly equal parts by the Miljacka, 
a rapid, foaming stream which tumbles over a rocky 
bed. Nine or ten artistic bridges, some of them 
incrusted with the lichens of centuries, are approached 
by wide, well-shaded streets which slope up the moun- 
tain sides with a comfortable grade and give excellent 
drainage. Observed from the distant hills, Sarajevo 
looks as if it were built in terraces, and the trees in 
the streets make parallel lines of green alternating 
with lines of red, which are the roofs of the houses. 
In many places are luxuriant gardens reached through 
wide archways under the houses in the oriental style, 
but they are generally secluded. There is an abun- 
dance of pure water supplied from the mountains for 
domestic purposes and for the many fountains which 
decorate the interior patios of the houses and gardens. 
While the residential portion of the town is irregular 
and only partially built up, Sarajevo compares well in 
architecture and in every other respect with any city 
of its size in Europe or America, and some time will 
be a beautiful place, for it is much favored by nature, 
and the inhabitants are rapidly accumulating wealth. 



AN EXAMPLE OF ADMINISTRATION 281 

Sarajevo has been frequently compared with Jerusa- 
lem and Damascus. It is often called "the Damascus 
of the North," and perhaps the old part may bear 
some resemblance to those venerable cities, but the 
new part is more like a German or an Italian town. 
There are several mosques with minarets and domes 
and spires. Churches of every religion, fine office- 
buildings, apartment-houses, government buildings 
and public institutions. The Rafhaus, or city hall, is a 
beautiful modern structure of the oriental school of 
architecture, and might have been transplanted from 
Constantinople or Algiers, while the Scheriatschule, a 
law college, is also imposing. The citadel or castle, 
which formerly was the residence of the Turkish gov- 
ernor, is an irregular inclosure defended by a high wall 
with a collection of buildings representing several ages 
and schools of architecture. It is now garrisoned by 
a battalion of Austrian troops, whose gay uniforms 
delight the eyes of the people. 

In Budapest I saw a regiment of troops from Bosnia 
parading the streets. They were fine-looking young 
fellows, full of military ardor, and seemed to take 
great pride in their appearance. I was told that there 
are 7,000 Bosnian soldiers in Austria and Hungary, 
and an equal number of Austrian soldiers in Bosnia, 
which, by the way, is a very good scheme, if you will 
stop to think of the eftect. According to law every 
able-bodied man in Bosnia, upon reaching the age of 
eighteen, is required to enter the army for a period 
of five years, two years being spent in active service 
and three years as a member of the reserve. Those 
in active service are sent to Austria and Hungary, 
where they learn something of life and civilization, 
become familiar with the German language and the 



282 The TURK mtd his LOST PROVINCES 

customs and habits of the people, and make many 
friends, often marrying Austrian girls and taking them 
back to Bosnia. The government encourages such 
marriages, and offers tempting inducements in the 
way of relief from certain duty and additional pay. 
Married soldiers are allowed to live in barracks with 
their wives, who are employed as cooks, laundresses 
and in other capacities. Thus, after a term of two years 
spent in the army in Austria, the young Bosnian goes 
home thoroughly naturalized and imbued with Austrian 
ideas, while those who take wives with them have an 
even greater attachment to the empire. Thus the 
scheme works well. On the other hand, the Austrian 
soldiers who are stationed in Bosnia make friends 
with the people, and often marry and settle down 
there. They are encouraged to do so by the gov- 
ernment's offering inducements similar to those I have 
described. 

Police duty is performed by a force of about 2,500 
gendarmes, selected from the best material in the 
Bosnian and Austrian reserves. They are well paid 
and pensioned, and the pay and privileges are 
sufficient to secure men of education, judgment and 
good habits. This is absolutely necessary for the suc- 
cess of Austrian government in Bosnia, because the 
experience of the people with the Turkish soldiers was 
so terrible that a military uniform is still hateful to 
them. The Bosnian police are divided in squads of 
eight or ten men under the command of a sergeant, 
and are scattered throughout the country in every 
community. They are called upon to perform unusual 
duties. They not only patrol their districts to keep 
the peace, investigate complaints, make arrests and 
do ordinary police duty, but also serve as sanitary 



AN EXAMPLE OF ADMINISTRATION 283 

officers, veterinarians, legal advisers and instructors in 
agriculture and the industrial arts. They are, in fact, 
fathers to the people, or as one of them described it, 
"maids of all work." The idea is to furnish the 
people advisers in all occupations and stations in life, 
who carry the authority and the protection of the 
government with them and bring it not only into the 
households, but into the stables and the gardens of the 
entire population. 

Thus a peasant when he is out of work applies to the 
policeman, who knows everybody and everything in 
the district, and can generally find him a job. When 
an old woman wants seed to plant in her garden, the 
policeman sends to the agricultural department for a 
supply. When he hears that anyone is sick he fetches 
medicine from the police dispensary; when an acci- 
dent occurs he exercises his ingenuity to aid in mak- 
ing repairs; when a cow or a horse has the distemper 
he gives advice to the owner and instructs him how to 
administer the proper remedy. When a cabin is to be 
built or a marriage performed or a funeral is held on 
his beat, he is the master of ceremonies, no matter 
whether the persons involved are Turks, Roman Cath- 
olics, Protestants or members of the Greek Church. 
In this way the policemen become identified with the 
interests of the people, and obtain their confidence. 
And this form of paternalism has been very effective 
in winning the Bosnians to the support of the Austrian 
authorities. The contrast with the conduct of the 
Turkish soldiers in the past is so radical that the sys- 
tem is all the more effective in accomplishing its pur- 
pose; for, in Turkish times, the man most feared by 
the community was the policeman, for he was always 
a robber and often a fiend. 



284 l^he TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

In order to avoid scandals and protect the police 
from temptation each gendarme is accompanied at all 
times by a deputy or assistant who is both a student 
studying the business with the expectation of promo- 
tion to the first place, when his turn comes, and a 
check or restraint upon his superior, who, by the 
wholesome regulations, is required to teach him and 
set him a good example. There have been cases 
where dishonest and vicious men obtain positions in 
the police corps and oppress people, but the penalty 
for malfeasance is very heavy, and whenever a case 
occurs it is utilized as an opportunity to furnish an 
example. The testimony is almost unanimous that 
the Bosnian gendarmes are a model force; that they 
have acquired the respect and the confidence of the 
people, and that to this system is largely due the 
remarkable success of the Austrian administration in 
Bosnia. 

The old part of Sarajevo, called Carsija, consists of 
crooked and narrow streets running at right angles 
with shops and bazaars opening upon the sidewalks as 
is customary in all oriental towns. The merchants 
and mechanics squat on their haunches or sit cross- 
legged as they make and sell their wares. Although 
nearly everything is oriental in appearance, and sold 
as souvenirs of the country to tourists, the greater part 
of the gay colored silks and cottons were woven in the 
factories of Germany and France; the gold and silver 
embroideries in arabesque designs were imported 
from Austria, and much of the jewelry, the ornamental 
pipes and velvet slippers, from Paris. The only goods 
that can be depended upon as of native workmanship 
are those that are manufactured before your eyes. 
The busy artisans keep at it from daybreak till bed- 



AN EXAMPLE OF ADMINISTRATION 285 

time, seldom knocking off except to say their prayers 
at the nearest mosque or drink a cup of coffee and 
smoke a cigarette at the nearest cafe. That is the 
Bosnian idea of rest and pleasure. He will smoke 
and drink coffee all day long if he. has the lei- 
sure to do so. They tell of men whose daily allow- 
ance is a hundred cups of coffee and a hundred 
cigarettes. 

Contrary to the French and Italian habit the Bos- 
nians never urge people to purchase their goods. 
They manifest no eagerness, but offer them with dig- 
nified courtesy and apparent indifference. They 
never raise their voices or gesticulate, but imitate their 
Turkish neighbors, who are trained from the cradle to 
observe the command of the prophet who said: "Be 
moderate in thy pace and lower thy voice." Nor do 
you ever see a Mohammedan beggar. He never com- 
plains. One of the most admirable characteristics of 
the race is the composure with which disappointment 
and misfortune are accepted. "If you have food, eat," 
is his doctrine. "If you have no food, die." In his 
shop as well as in his place of worship, the Moham- 
medan practices his religion and preserves the same 
proud and uncomplaining calm. 

The different trades are governed by guilds as was 
formerly the rule throughout Europe. Each guild has 
a patron saint and a long list of officers, who fix prices 
and profits, regulate wages, appoint apprentices and 
decide disputes. The trades are classified and each 
has its particular locality. Competitors seem to be 
upon the most friendly terms. 

In the center of the old city is a common meeting- 
place — a coffee-house in the orientgil style called the 
Kiraet-han — a resort for the better class of merchants 



286 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

and artisans, where types of all races may be found. 
Near by is the beautiful Begova Djamia, the largest 
and the finest mosque in Europe with the exception of 
St. Sofia in Constantinople and Selim's in Adrianople. 
In the courtyard is the inevitable fountain, in which 
the worshipers wash their hands before performing 
their religious duties, for cleanliness is not only next 
to godliness in the Mohammedan creed, but was 
declared by the prophet to be "the key of prayer." 
In this courtyard is the oflficial measuring stone, 
exactly the Turkish equivalent for a yard in length, 
and whenever there is a dispute or discussion as to the 
accuracy of a merchant's measurement he is compelled 
to subject it to the test. 

Many injunctions from the prophet make it difficult 
for a conscientious Moslem to compete with the 
Greeks, Jews, Italians and Austrians, who are his 
rivals there. His religious observances take up much 
valuable time. He goes to worship five times a day 
whenever the Hodja calls to prayer. So many times 
must he lay his forehead to the ground, repeating so 
many verses from the Koran; so many times must he 
rise to a sitting posture with his hands upon his knees, 
and with eyes closed repeat the gospel of his religion; 
and so many times must he arise and recite so many 
prayers. Not one prayer or position must be omitted 
or neglected. As a rule the Mohammedans are much 
more regular and devout in the observance of their 
spiritual duties than the members of the Christian 
churches, and no race is so faithful to the teachings of 
its religion. They told me there, as I have often heard 
elsewhere, that no matter how cruel, bloodthirsty or 
treacherous a Turk may be, he will not lie or cheat. 
I have been frequently advised that I can always trust 



AN EXAMPLE OF ADMINISTRATION 287 

a Moslem to give me real value for my money, and 
depend upon his word as to the article he sells me, but 
when I deal with a Christian or a Jew I must look out 
for myself. That, however, is a myth, to entertain 
strangers. 

Strangers find great difficulty in distinguishing 
between the Christians and the Turks in Bosnia, for 
both wear turbans, embroidered waistcoats, loose open 
jackets, zouave trousers gathered at the knee, and 
heelless shoes with toes that turn up like the arms of 
a crescent, the same that you see in the windows of 
shops that sell Turkish goods at home. The ordinary 
European costume is being adopted rapidly by those 
who wish to be considered up-to-date. The rich 
families of the middle class buy all their clothing at 
Vienna or Budapest, and it is difficult to distinguish 
them from the Austrians. Nevertheless there are little 
signs by which those familiar with the country can 
always tell whether a man he meets upon the street is 
a Mohammedan or a Christian. The peasants adhere 
most tenaciously to the ancient customs, and by going 
into the country one can get a much better idea of 
what Bosnia used to be than in the cities, although 
the latter are still picturesque and interesting. In 
Turkish times Christians were compelled to wear a 
certain costume of dark colors to denote their servile 
condition, and it was as much as life was worth for 
anyone to wear green, the color of the prophet. The 
Turks considered it sacrilege, and the penalty for 
violating this unwritten law was so terrible that it was 
seldom broken. Now, however, any man or woman. 
Christian, Jew or Turk, is allowed to wear whatever 
pleases the taste and fancy, and you see mixed cos- 
tumes as often as any, the fez, which was formerly the 



288 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

distinguishing badge of the Mohammedans, being 
frequently worn by Christians and Jews. 

A similar change has been going on among the 
women. Formerly they were restricted to the harems, 
as in Turkey, but now they may be seen in the streets 
and bazaars and even in the fields, where, before the 
Austrian occupation, it was impossible for them to 
appear, because of the danger of insult from any pass- 
ing Turk. They never ventured far from their homes 
and the protection of their husbands and neighbors. 
It has never been customary for Turkish women to 
work in the fields like the Germans and Austrians; 
but this is all changed, and throughout Bosnia these 
days their bright costumes illuminate the landscape in 
every direction. They work side by side with men, as 
in Hungary. Nowadays, also, many Mohammedan 
husbands in Bosnia allow their wives and daughters to 
be treated by Christian doctors when they are ill, not- 
withstanding the superstition that it is contrary to the 
will of Allah. Enlightened Mohammedans who have 
observed the advantages of the social, agricultural and 
administrative reforms introduced into Bosnia and 
have reflected thoughtfully upon them are gradually 
yielding to their better judgment, and, while they will 
never yield in their attachment to the old faith, are 
adopting the customs and habits of the western world. 
The lives of women are thus becoming enlarged. 
They are being released from the degraded position 
which they occupy in all Mohammedan countries. 
The popular impression that the Mohammedan relig- 
ion denies souls and immortality to women is a fallacy. 
The Koran teaches the reverse, and admits them to the 
hope of Paradise; and it is custom rather than a relig- 
ious injunction that prohibits them from entering 



AN EXAMPLE OF ADMINISTRATION 289 

mosques at the same time with men. Certain hours 
are allotted women for prayer in most of the mosques, 
but some of them they are not allowed to enter. 

The Turk is not altogether terrible. He has many 
admirable traits. There is much to be admired in his 
religion and in the spirit with which he observes the 
injunctions of the prophet. The Mohammedans are 
a curious contradiction. Although it is asserted that 
ninety out of every one hundred cases in the Turkish 
courts are settled by bribery, and the official class is 
absolutely untrustworthy, yet I am informed by those 
who have had long experience that the word and still 
more the oath of a Mohammedan may be accepted 
implicitly wherever it affects members of his own 
faith. Their religion teaches that those who are guilty 
of falsehood shall have no part in the next life. In 
Egypt and in other countries the rule is the same as in 
Bosnia, that when a suit is being tried between two 
Moslems, the defendant, if he has justice on his side, 
will insist that the plaintiff be compelled to testify, 
feeling confident that he will tell the exact truth, if 
properly questioned, and admit that he is wrong. 
Thus it is not because of religion, but in spite of it, 
that corruption is universal wherever the Turks control. 

In Bosnia the Austrians have separate courts for 
Turkish cases, because it is not perjury for a Moham- 
medan to swear falsely against a Christian. A differ- 
ent rule and practice is required in the administration 
of justice where representatives of both religions are 
involved. They also have courts there for the settle- 
ment of trifling differences, in which lawyers are not 
allowed to appear, because that honorable profession 
is accused of encouraging litigation for the sake of 
making fees. Before the Austrian occupation this 



290 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

was a great evil. Almost the entire population were 
involved one way or another in lawsuits. If a man 
was dissatisfied in any way with the conduct of his 
neighbor he would drag him into the courts. About 
twenty years ago the Austrians decided to put an end 
to this litigation, and a law was enacted limiting the 
number of lawyers to sixteen for the entire country. 
No one can be admitted to practice unless there is a 
vacancy. 

The tenure of land was one of the most difficult 
questions to deal with, because, under Turkish rule, 
the larger part of the cultivated area belonged to the 
government or the ecclesiastics, who were oppressive 
and extortionate in their treatment of their tenants. 
Gradually these conditions have been reformed, and, 
although agriculture is still in a low state of develop- 
ment, the farmers are secure in the possession of their 
lands and are thus encouraged to improve and cultivate 
them with care. Eighty-eight per cent of the popu- 
lation are engaged in farming and raising cattle, sheep 
and swine. Tobacco is a very important crop, and a 
government monopoly. It may be raised by any 
farmer under the supervision of the revenue inspectors, 
who not only measure the acreage planted, but even 
count the number of plants in order that sales to 
private individuals may be detected. A considerable 
proportion of the crop is exported — nearly 2,000 tons 
in 1901 — but the greater part is manufactured into 
cigarettes in government factories, which not only 
bring in a handsome revenue, but furnish employment 
for nearly four thousand women and girls. 

The cattle industry is next in importance, there 
being an average of one steer, one goat, one hog and 
three sheep per capita of the population. The hides 



AN EXAMPLE OF ADMINISTRATION 291 

are tanned at home and shipped to Great Britain, 
France and Austria. They are of the highest grade 
and bring the best prices. The next important indus- 
try is dried prunes, the exports in 1901 amounting to 
more than ^1,500,000. 

Beet sugar is now being manufactured by the gov- 
ernment, and silk culture is also being introduced. 
The government gives assistance to the agricultural 
population in many important ways — by the estab- 
lishment of schools of instruction, by the introduction 
of new ideas, by furnishing seeds and sample imple- 
ments and by other methods. There are several excel- 
lent schools of agriculture situated at convenient 
locations, where the country people may send their 
sons to study the practical cultivation of the soil, and 
their daughters to learn how to make butter and 
cheese, cultivate silk worms and raise poultry and 
other by-products which materially increase the family 
income. Experts have been brought from Italy to 
instruct the natives in the cultivation of silk worms, as 
the climate and other conditions appear to be unusu- 
ally favorable for that industry. 

The government has also taken great pains to 
improve the breeds of horses, cattle and sheep and to 
induce the peasants to take proper care of their stock. 
It has established farms and studs at convenient loca- 
tions and holds cattle and horse shows at the provincial 
capitals every year, at which considerable sums are 
given as prizes to stimulate competition. There are at 
least a dozen poultry farms belonging to the govern- 
ment, where a large variety of game birds and domestic 
fowls are kept. Eggs of the best breeds of poultry, 
ducks, geese and turkeys are furnished free to farm- 
ers who will agree to observe the printed rules for 



292 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

hatching them, and so successful has this policy been 
that poultry is now plenty throughout the entire prov- 
ince. An ordinary chicken can be bought in the mar- 
ket for ten or fifteen cents and a goose or a turkey for 
twenty-five cents. The turkey is so common that we 
might properly call it the national bird. 

Not only in agriculture but in the other industries 
has the paternal policy of the government brought 
happiness and prosperity to the people. It has estab- 
lished factories and training-schools in all the prin- 
cipal towns in order to produce artisans and mechanics, 
who are very scarce in that country. Students are 
educated in the simpler sciences, such as electricity, 
chemistry, mechanics, engineering, architecture and 
house-building, designing, the construction, repair and 
operation of machinery, carpentering, masonry, stone- 
cutting, molding, iron-working and the other useful 
trades. It will not be the fault of the officials if the 
next generation of Bosnians is not thoroughly skilled 
in the useful arts and trades. 

A woolen mill and a carpet factory have recently 
been established under government supervision. The 
former produces fabrics for ordinary clothing of a low 
grade, similar to the homespun generally used by the 
people. The carpet factory buys the raw wool from 
the farmers and turns it into Turkish rugs, which are 
shipped to Austria and Hungary, and are sold at good 
prices. In connection with the factory is a training 
school for spinners and weavers, a school of design to 
develop the artistic talent of young men and women, 
and a laboratory for the manufacture of dyes. 

All this is done under official supervision with cap- 
ital from the public treasury, and the proceeds add 
considerably to the public revenues, although that is 



AN EXAMPLE OF ADMINISTRATION 293 

not the object aimed at. Under Turkish rule the 
Bosnians lived from hand to mouth. They were pre- 
vented from accumulating wealth or acquiring homes 
or providing themselves with comforts by the rapacity 
of their rulers, and hence there was no incentive for 
them to labor or save or to improve their condition. 
They even hid their houses as far as possible behind 
clumps of trees or in the valleys some distance away 
from the road, hoping that they might escape the 
observation of Turkish officials and soldiers. Now 
there is no longer any danger, and they are building 
comfortable cabins and surrounding them with stables 
and pens for their poultry and live stock. It is now 
safe for women to live or to travel alone in any part of 
Bosnia, whereas a few years ago they dared not 
show themselves in the fields or on the public high- 
way. More than 200,000 people fled from Bosnia dur- 
ing the ten years preceding the Russo-Turkish war to 
escape the cruelties and extortions of the Turks. 
They took with them only what they could carry on 
their backs, and, leading their little children by the 
hand, abandoned their homes and harvests and crept 
through the thickets and the forests of the mountains 
until they reached the Austrian boundary, where they 
could live in safety and were protected, not from their 
enemies, but from the officials that were appointed to 
rule over them. 

The cruelties committed by the Turks in their 
efforts to keep the people in subjection are inde- 
scribable. Centuries of horrors compose the history 
of the Bosnian people, and, although almost incred- 
ible, it is officially asserted by the British consul that 
from 8,000 to 10,000 people were annually murdered 
by the officials and military guards. The same condi- 



294 The TURK a7id his LOST PROVINCES 

tions prevailed in Bulgaria. They prevail in Mace- 
donia or Eastern Rumelia to-day, and will continue so 
long as the Powers of Europe permit the Turks to 
govern that country. 

The Scheriatschule is a peculiar local institution, in 
which is taught Moslem, Christian and Jewish law. 
In fact, the instruction covers the laws of all races and 
religions which is necessary to that mixed population, 
where the government endeavors to respect the religious 
scruples of every citizen and to adjust its requirements 
to the ordinances of the different churches. The 
Austrian statesmen who were required to solve the 
Bosnian problem recognized the importance of a fact 
which many rulers in all parts of the world and in all 
times have forgotten or overlooked — that religious 
sentiment and conscience lie deeper than any other 
influences that affect human action. Hence, in Bosnia, 
each individual is not only allowed to worship in his 
own way, but is excused from the observance of laws 
which conflict with his religious duties. For that reason 
different courts are provided for the. trial of differ- 
ent races. Speaking generally, the laws of Turkey still 
prevail in Bosnia, because that country is nominally a 
Turkish province still, although it never again will 
come under Turkish pow-er. There is much that is 
good in the Turkish statutes, and when honestly admin- 
istered they are peculiarly suitable for the government 
of that race. It has been necessary, however, to sup- 
plement them with local statutes, which are enacted by 
an assembly chosen by the tax-payers of the country. 
This legislature also assesses taxes and makes appro- 
priations for public purposes to be disbursed by the 
executives. 

To instruct and qualify natives for the bar, the 



AN EXAMPLE OF ADMINISTRATION 295 

bench, the legislature and positions in the executive 
department of the government, the Scheriatschule was 
established, and it now has about 200 pupils who pay a 
small entrance fee and a moderate price for their 
rooms and board. It occupies a large rectangular 
building of the oriental style, built of horizontal rows 
of black and white stone that suggest a prison garb. 
It is approached by broad stone stairs with parterres 
of flowers on either side, and the entrance is a lofty 
arch which leads into a central court decorated with a 
fountain and flowers. Upon this court open lecture- 
rooms, libraries and recitation-rooms, a dormitory, a 
refectory and a chapel, well constructed and fitted up 
with modern conveniences. Great care has been taken 
by the Austrians to make the Bosnian schools models. 
There is a fine national museum. Bosnia is unusu- 
ally rich in ethnology, and practically an unexplored 
field for ethnographic research. An international 
congress of archeologists and ethnologists met here 
several years ago, and the members were handsomely 
entertained by the government with the hope of 
stimulating scientific interest. Its reports attracted 
considerable attention, but I cannot learn that the 
United States was represented. Prehistoric remains 
are numerous and have been practically undisturbed 
except by the ignorant populace, who have searched 
some of them for treasure and dismantled others for 
building material. The country has seen successive 
civilizations from century to century, and at several 
periods reached a high degree of culture under the 
Romans and the Greeks, which in turn were engulfed 
or destroyed by barbaric invasions only to spring up 
again in another form. Its art and architecture are 
largely buried under the soil and are represented by 



296 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

ruins in the valleys of the mountains. In addition to 
Roman and Greek remains there are traces of Ger- 
manic, Gothic, Saracenic and Turkish occupations; 
but the field, as I have said, is practically unexplored 
and should tempt the learned societies to undertake 
systematic investigations such as have been carried on 
in Greece. 

There are good hotels in every part of the province, 
most of them having been established by the govern- 
ment either directly or indirectly by the payment of 
subsidies, as an inducement to travelers, and they 
have proved to be valuable investments. The policy 
pursued here has been very different from that adopted 
by the United States Congress in our new possessions. 
We passed a law forbidding the introduction of new 
capital and the organization of new enterprises to 
develop the industry and material resources of Cuba, 
Porto Rico and the Philippine Islands, because our 
legislators were afraid that somebody would derive a 
profit from the application of money, energy or brains. 
The granting of franchises was forbidden. Austria 
has taken the opposite course in Bosnia, and not only 
invited capital and enterprise, but erected hotels in 
order to entertain their representatives in a comfort- 
able manner and give them pleasant impressions of the 
country. 

When the Austrians first assumed control everything 
in Bosnia was extremely primitive and old-fashioned. 
There were no conveniences nor comforts; no modern 
improvements whatever; but filth, disorder and dis- 
comfort prevailed everywhere, so much so that decent 
people avoided Bosnia. The description which 
Francis Bacon applied to Turkey centuries ago was 
true of Bosnia in 1876: "Without morality, without 



AN EXAMPLE OF ADMINISTRATION 297 

letters, arts or sciences; a people that can scarce 
measure an acre of land or an hour of the day; base 
and sluttish in building, diet and the like; and, in a 
word, a very reproach to human society; and yet this 
nation hath made the garden of the world a wilder- 
ness, for it is truly said concerning the Turk — where 
the Ottoman's horse sets his foot people will come up 
very thin." 

The Austrians devised every means to induce immi- 
gration and capital, to encourage commerce and indus- 
try, and they decided to make the country attractive 
to strangers and tourists, who would advertise it. It 
is now pleasant to visit Bosnia. The hotels have not 
only proved an attraction, but a source of profit. 
Amusements and pleasures of all kinds were intro- 
duced for the entertainment of the people, who, under 
Turkish rule, had been deprived of everything of that 
sort. The diversions have been gratefully appre- 
ciated — theaters, operas, parks, museums, gardens, 
cafes, military bands, parades, ceremonials — by a 
people whose natural love of music and motion is 
very strong. They also have proved remarkably 
important in diverting their minds from politics and 
opening to them a new world. This is another hint to 
the administration of affairs in the Philippines, where 
the people have similar tastes and the conditions are 
very much like those that existed in Bosnia twenty- 
five years ago. 

The official residence of the Austrian governor-gen- 
eral is a pleasant structure surrounded by rich gardens 
and shrubbery, and is called the Konek. It was built 
half a century ago for the use of the Turkish pasha, 
who was a man of luxury and taste, and had unlimited 
command of money. In many places are other evi- 



298 The TURK and, his LOST PROVINCES 

dences of official and private extravagance, and the 
people were taxed to pay for it. 

The Roman Catholic church is a fine Gothic struc- 
ture, with two handsome spires. It was built by the 
government with contributions from the Catholics of 
Vienna and other Austrian cities. The orthodox 
Greek church is also imposing, and most of the 
wealthy men are members of that faith. The Jewish 
synagogue is also a notable building. There is no 
Protestant church. 

Under Turkish rule all public worship except that of 
the Moslems was forbidden, and the Christians were 
allowed to say their prayers in secret. They were 
known 2Lsrayahs, — the word means "ransomed" — those 
who have merited death because of unbelief, but have 
purchased permission to live by paying tribute. 
Western Christians do not appreciate the religious 
heroism which the poor peasants, not of Bosnia only, 
but of Bulgaria, Macedonia and other parts of the 
Balkans, have displayed during all the centuries that 
they have suffered from the persecution of the Turks. 
They have lived in daily dread of martyrdom, for the 
Mohammedans consider that they do no wrong when 
they kill a Christian. Nevertheless the Greeks and 
the Roman Catholics clung to their faith when they 
might at any moment have secured safety, prosperity 
and position by recanting and accepting the religion 
of their oppressors. The same may be said of the 
7ews, who actually increased in numbers under persecu- 
tion because emigrants came from Roumania, where 
they suffered even more from the Christians than in 
Bosnia from the Turks. 

Since the Austrian occupation there has been a large 
invasion of Jewish traders, who have been attracted by 



AN EXAMPLE OF ADMINISTRATION 299 

the commercial opportunities. But, curiously enough, 
the old Jewish families will have nothing to do with 
the newcomers. They are descendants of the Jews 
who ,were driven out of Spain in 1574 and obtained 
permission from the Sultan of Turkey to settle in 
Bosnia and Servia. They number altogether about 
7,000, and at least 3,000 live in Sarajevo. They 
speak Spanish among themselves and have preserved 
their ancient customs and habits. Their burial-ground 
in a suburb of the city, on the slope of the Mountain 
Trebevic, is an interesting place. Unhewn boulders 
are used for tombstones, a practice which originated 
when the Jews were too poor to buy anything better. 

The Bosnian Jews claim exemption from the perse- 
cution imposed upon the rest of their race on the 
ground that they are descended from a member of the 
Sanhedrin of Pilate, who voted against the crucifixion 
of Christ. The same claim is made by the Jews of 
Toledo, Spain. 

It is the prevailing impression that the Turks are the 
most difficult of all races to govern, but the Austrian 
experiment in Bosnia has demonstrated that this is a 
mistake. The better class of the Turkish population 
have welcomed the restoration of order and have been 
the strongest supporters of the new government. The 
officials have suppressed the fanatics by the applica- 
tion of a punishment which they dread more than 
death. To shoot or kill a Mohammedan is simply to 
send him to the paradise he is seeking, and he believes 
that he will rise again in the actual body; but if his 
body is burned or cut to pieces it is impossible for him 
to attain paradise, for he cannot rise again or be 
translated if his soul has no body to inhabit. There- 
fore all Moslem believers who have been convicted of 



300 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

murder or other capital crimes have been sentenced to 
death and cremation, which so terrified the fanatics that 
they have left the country. 

The Bosnians are naturally very bright, although the 
lack of educational facilities and the ordinary com- 
pensations for industry and ingenuity have kept them 
down. Occasionally some man like Nikola Tesla, the 
famous electrician of New York, who is a native of 
Bosnia, has broken through the restrictions and has 
found an opportunity to develop his genius elsewhere. 
But such cases are very few. Long Turkish oppression 
crushed the minds as well as the spirits of the people, 
and only with the coming generation are they begin- 
ning to show the talents, ingenuity and other natural 
qualities which their admirers have claimed for them. 
They are naturally honest, too, although until recently 
they have had few examples of integrity to imitate. 
There is very little stealing, and corruption in office 
has been so severely punished that the government is 
almost free from it. At first natives who were favored 
with official positions attempted to imitate the prac- 
tices of the Turks who preceded them, but soon found 
that it would not be tolerated, and I was assured that 
for four or five years there have been no cases of 
official dishonesty detected. On the other hand, the 
Austrian officials have set excellent examples for the 
natives in this respect. 

A large part of the property in Bosnia belongs to 
the government or the ecclesiastical authorities, or has 
been bequeathed or appropriated to religious and 
charitable objects and held in trust by officials for the 
benefit of mosques, hospitals, schools, fountains and 
for the relief of the sick and the poor. Under the 
Turks the revenues of these properties were generally 



AN EXAMPLE OF ADMINISTRATION 301 

stolen, but since the Austrian occupation the business 
has been so well managed that it has not only sup- 
ported but paid for the extensive improvement of the 
charities for which it was intended. The same maybe 
said of the government revenues. Under the Turks 
the harvests were not allowed to be gathered until the 
collectors had calculated the amount of taxes and had 
received the money, which was often one-third of the 
total value and usually one-fifth, and a great part of 
the money went into the pockets of the collectors 
instead of the public treasury. This was such a com- 
mon practice that everybody knew all about it, and 
hence the reforms which the Austrians have introduced 
are all the more conspicuous. 

The most fascinating town in Bosnia is Jajce, where 
the people have had so little intercourse with the out- 
side world that they still retain the customs and manners 
and wear the costumes of their ancestors four or five 
centuries back. The women are clothed in brilliant 
colors and load themselves with ornaments of silver, 
bronze and enamel. Like the Hindus and the North 
American Indians, they wear the greater portion of 
their wealth upon their bodies. The men dress in 
white sheepskin, beautifully tanned. In summer they 
wear the wool outside and in the winter they wear it 
inside. The arms and hands of both men and women 
are usually tattooed with religious emblems. They 
are devout Catholics, and you seldom find a boy or a 
girl over sixteen who does not carry a crucifix tattooed 
upon some part of the person. Both men and women 
wear their hair long. 

At Jajce is one of the most celebrated of sanctuaries, 
the Church of St. Luke, which is venerated equally by 
Catholics, Greeks and Mohammedans, as everybody 



302 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

believes that it was the early burial-place of the 
apostle, and that when it was threatened with destruc- 
tion by the Turks in the Middle Ages an army of 
angels lifted it from one side of the river to the other. 
You are shown the place where the church formerly 
stood on the east bank, and the inhabitants of all the 
surrounding country would regard you as a hope- 
less skeptic if you expressed a doubt of the truth 
of the story that it was lifted by invisible hands, 
carried several hundred yards and placed intact 
upon a new foundation. Thousands of pilgrims, 
especially people who are crippled and diseased, 
visit the shrine, and many miracles have been per- 
formed there. 

According to the local belief, St. Luke lived and 
died in Jajce, and was buried in this church, but the 
priest in charge says that is a mistake. He does not 
know of any evidence that the apostle ever lived at 
Jajce, and believes that he died in Syria, but the 
records show that in the thirteenth century the remains 
of the apostle were brought from Constantinople to 
Rogus, one of the towns upon the Adriatic coast, and, 
in 1436, George Brankovic, King of Servia, purchased 
them of the Turkish governor of that province. The 
latter, fearing a riot in the town if an attempt were made 
to take them away, caused his spies to circulate a rumor 
that the Sultan had ordered a census for the purpose of 
taxation and military service, and that it would be 
taken on a certain day. All the Christian population 
had business in the country for a few days about that 
time, so that they might evade the enumerators. 
While they were absent the holy casket was secretly 
taken from the church and carried aboard a vessel. 
For several months it was not missed, and the theft was 



AN EXAMPLE OF ADMINISTRATION 303 

not detected until rumors began to come back from 
Servia concerning its reception in that country. 

Helena, daughter of Brankovic, married Tyrtko, the 
last king of Bosnia, and took the body with her as 
part of her dowry. When Jajce was captured by the 
Turks she managed to escape and carried it to Italy, 
where it was placed in the convent of St. Guistina at 
Padua. 

A voyage up the Adriatic to Venice or Trieste along 
the Dalmatian coast is one of the most enjoyable that 
can be imagined. The scenery is sublime. The 
cloudless blue of the skies and the water, the purple 
tints of the hills, mingled with the orange and scarlet 
of the autumn foliage, make a harmony of color that 
can scarcely be found elsewhere, while the little 
islands that make up the archipelago protect the 
coast from rough water, and the steamers glide in and 
out among them without feeling the wind or the tide 
or any other marine disturbance that a passenger can 
object to. It is very much like sailing through the 
famous Inland Sea of Japan, only in this case you have 
a continuous coast on one side, while in the other it is 
on both sides. There is a choice of steamers, two or 
three a week, so that one can stop off at any of the 
beautiful little towns for twenty-four or forty-eight 
hours and then take up his journey again. 

Cattaro is only interesting and important as the port 
of the little principality of Montenegro, which has 
caused so much dissention among the European 
nations, and the terminus of the road to Cetinje, its 
capital. Cattaro does not belong to Montenegro, 
because England and Austria are afraid Prince 
Nicholas would cede it to Russia if he had the power 
to do so. Montenegro is theoretically independent, 



304 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

and under the protection of the great Powers, but there 
is a very close intimacy between the ruling family and 
the imperial house of Russia, and everybody believes 
that there is a secret treaty of alliance also. Like 
the other Balkan States, Montenegro was a province 
of Turkey until 1878, when the treaty of Berlin made 
it independent, and, although it contains a population 
of only 228,000, less than that of the District of 
Columbia, its political importance is great. Two of 
the daughters of the reigning prince have married 
cousins of the Czar, another is the wife of the King of 
Italy, and a fourth is the Duchess of Leuchtenburg, 
whose husband is next to a king. 

Ragusa, another of the towns on the coast, and a 
charming old place, is identified with some of the 
most stirring incidents in history. In the Middle 
Ages it was almost as powerful as Venice, Naples or 
Genoa, and was able to resist the attacks of the Turks. 
Here Richard Coeur-de-Leon landed on his return 
from the Crusade. During a gale at sea he made a 
vow that he would build a church to his patron saint 
on the spot where he was permitted to make a safe 
landing. He finally went ashore on the little island 
of La Croma, then moved over to Ragusa, where the 
people received him with such hospitality that he 
asked the Pope to relieve him from his vow and let 
him build the church in Ragusa, which had several 
thousand inhabitants, instead of upon a barren little 
island. But the Pope would not grant his prayer, and, 
like the gentleman that he was, he built churches in 
both places. That at Ragusa was destroyed in an 
earthquake in the seventeenth century, but the church 
at La Croma still stands. 

Metkovic, the port of Bosnia on the Mediterranean, 



AN EXAMPLE OF ADMINISTRATION 305 

and the southern terminus of the state railway, is 
situated upon a point of land made by the silt of the 
Narenta River, twelve miles from its mouth, and has 
the unhappy reputation of being the most unhealthy 
port on the Adriatic. The surrounding country is 
swampy, and miasmatic poisons are believed to rise in 
clouds from the surface of the earth whenever the sun 
goes down. It is purely a modern commercial city, with 
about 4,000 population, mostly Italians, Greeks and 
Jews, and looks like an Italian town. Everybody is 
engaged in fishing or shipping. Metkovic will become 
a port of growing importance as the trade of Bosnia 
develops, but people never stop there if they can help 
it for fear of malaria and mosquitoes, and the trains 
from Sarajevo are arranged to connect with the 
steamers so that passengers can be rushed through as if 
it were a plague-infested place. I do not think it is 
any worse than Colon, and it really looks much better, 
because the buildings are of stone or stuccoed brick, 
with thick walls, solid floors and tiled roofs, while 
Colon is a collection of bamboo huts and wooden 
houses. Metkovic is fourteen miles from salt water. 
A canal is being dredged through the delta, which is 
broad and level, so that the largest steamers can reach 
the docks instead of handling cargoes in lighters. The 
marsh, being made of the soil washed down from the 
mountains, is of prodigious richness, and marvelous sto- 
ries are told of its fertility; but the atmosphere is so un- 
healthful that few people attempt to cultivate the land. 
Syndicates have been organized to drain the marsh, 
but the outlay is too great. I have seen tropical 
vegetation along the Spanish Main, in Yucatan, Cuba 
and the other West India Islands, in the valleys of 
the Amazon and the Orinoco, but there is nothing on 



3o6 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

the American hemisphere to compare with the plant 
life there. 

The most interesting of the many places along the 
eastern coast of theAdriatic are Spalato and Salona, 
where are found the most extensive and best-preserved 
Roman ruins and remains in all that country. Cen- 
turies before the birth of Christ, Salona was a populous 
and prosperous city, and its people were far advanced 
in culture; quite equal to those of Rome. Their 
wealth and artistic taste, their luxurious habits and 
rivalry in display, are clearly illustrated by the remains 
of their palaces, baths and places of amusement. The 
entire district for fifty miles around is full of absorbing 
attractions to archeologists and historians, and the 
palace of Diocletian at Salona is declared to be the 
best-preserved example of Roman architecture of its 
period now extant. It possesses extraordinary inter- 
est for everybody, and fascinates artists and architects. 

Attracted by the entrancing scenery of Salona, his 
native place, the Emperor Diocletian, at the height of 
his power and opulence, erected here an incomparable 
retreat in which he spent his declining years. The 
palace, or more properly the series of palaces, covers 
nearly ten acres of ground, and contemporary writers 
relate that 6,000 servants, attendants and guards were 
required to protect and wait upon this luxurious 
Roman. The palace was twelve years in construction, 
and must have cost an enormous sum of money, for in 
size, magnificence and architectural pretensions it sur- 
passed all dwellings that had been erected before or 
have been erected since. At the time of its comple- 
tion, at the end of the third century after Christ, it 
was doubtless the largest, the m6st beautiful and 
costly structure ever built by human hands. Many of 



AN EXAMPLE OF ADMINISTRATION 307 

the architectural details still remain in a perfect or 
partial state of preservation, sufficient to excite the 
wonder and the admiration of visitors. The most 
perfect portions are the mausoleum, intended for 
Diocletian's tomb, which is now used as a church; the 
Capella Palatine, now the baptistery; the main vesti- 
bule, a colonnade and three of the gates. All of them 
are sufficiently well preserved to permit an accurate 
study, but the rest of the palaces have been practically 
destroyed, and the marble is being gradually carried 
to Trieste, Venice and even to Rome and other 
cities of Italy for building purposes. Several of the 
most beautiful palaces in Venice are said to have been 
constructed entirely of material taken from the palace 
of Diocletian. After the death of the emperor, in 313 
A.D., the palace became state property, but none of 
his successors ever made it an abode, because of the 
expense of maintaining the establishment. Shortly 
after the Christian era it was converted into a fortress 
and after the fall of the Roman empire was allowed 
to crumble into ruins. 



PART V 

Greece 



309 



PART V 

GREECE 

XV 

FROM CORFU TO CORINTH 

A little narrow-gauge railway runs across the king- 
dom of Greece from Patras to the town of Corinth, 
hugging the Gulf of Corinth, and then, crossing a 
ridge that divides the isthmus, follows the shore of 
the Saronic Gulf to Athens. There are altogether 
about six hundred miles of railroad under operation 
in Greece, and about three hundred miles abandoned. 
You can find the track of the latter in various parts of 
the country, but the most important of the abandoned 
routes was to run up through Thessaly, the northern 
part of the kingdom, to the Turkish frontier. A little 
more patience and a little more money would have 
carried it through and made a splendid thing for the 
entire country, because the people of southern Greece 
do not raise food enough to supply their own wants, 
while in northern Greece there is a good deal to spare. 
The difference in the price of bread in the Peloponnesus 
and in Thessaly is unnaturally great, for the Thessa- 
lians have few markets and the Peloponnesians have 
few farms. This railroad was expected to equalize 
things, but unfortunately it has not been completed 
and the rails lie rusting until they are stolen for old 
iron. 

Brindisi is the gateway to the East. The steamers 

311 



312 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

for India, China and Japan touch there coming and 
going, to leave and take passengers for and from 
Paris, London, Berlin and other parts of Europe, 
who can thus save the long voyage of seven or eight 
days from Bremen and Hamburg and five and six days 
from London and Havre, and cross Europe by rail. 
Special trains with dining-cars and sleepers are run in 
connection with the steamers which carry the mails 
also, making Paris and Berlin in thirty-six hours from 
Brindisi and London in forty-eight. 

When you leave Brindisi going east you enter 
Hellenic ground. The Adriatic, like some other 
beauties, has an uncertain temper and behaves 
badly sometimes. It is called "the blue Adriatic," 
"the gem of seas," "the sapphire sea," and by other 
poetic names, but it is also "the stormy Adriatic," and 
an old seaman told me that "it could kick up more 
sea than the Atlantic Ocean on the slightest provoca- 
tion." The steamers for Greece generally leave 
Brindisi at midnight, so as to reach the opposite coast 
early in the morning, and there, when you awaken, if 
you please, you can see the sun rise upon masses of 
solid snow that crown the mountains of the Albanian 
coast of Turkey. The land of mythology is before 
you. Every island, every mountain, every valley was 
the scene of some fable, the abode of some god, or a 
battlefield that you read about in the Greek classics 
when you were in college. The places and the names 
of ancient history are brought home in a familiar way, 
and as you gaze from the deck of the steamer upon 
them they look like the real thing. 

At Corfu, a beautiful little island lying off the 
Turkish coast, you get your first view of oriental life 
and customs, and a girl with a kodak is kept busy 



FROM CORFU TO CORINTH 



313 



taking snap-shots of the queer things she sees. There 
is a temptation to photograph all the ruins, because 
they remind you of the warriors, heroes and philoso- 
phers you studied about when a boy, and Greece is 
full of them. The island of Ithaca excites vivid recol- 
lections, and the Phaeacian ship which brought 
Ulysses home lies in the harbor of Corfu, turned to 
stone. It is now occupied by a monastery of Greek 
monks and called by the humiliating name of Mouse 
Island. According to the Odyssey, after he was 
wrecked, Ulysses landed at Corfu, swimming to the 
shore. He made up a bed of dead leaves on the rocks 
as a precaution against rheumatism, and, worn out by 
excitement, peril and fatigue, sank into a dreamless 
sleep. There he was discovered by Nausicaa, a beau- 
tiful princess, upon whose charms Homer loves to 
linger. She was the daughter of King Alcinous, and 
when Ulysses awoke she led him to her father's 
palace, with its exquisite gardens and luscious fruits. 
The local guides, who endeavor to adjust their 
moral consciousness to the curiosity of visitors, and the 
topography of the island to the demands made upon 
them, show the exact place where Ulysses swam 
ashore, and tell you that the garden of the King 
Alcinous is now occupied by the country palace of 
King George of Greece, one of the most democratic 
and considerate of monarchs, who loves to have the 
people enjoy everything that belongs to him. He 
opens his gates to strangers and subjects alike. 
Nobody is required to pay a fee or even to ask per- 
mission, although the proper thing to do is to leave a 
card at the porter's lodge and a word of appreciation, 
which that official takes entirely to himself. One of 
the streets in Corfu is named in honor of King Alci- 



314 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

nous, and Ulysses is considered a sort of stepson of 
whom the community is exceedingly proud. 

Corfu has been the scene of many exciting events 
both in modern and mythological times. When we 
arrived the people were more or less excited over the 
action of the government in expelling the late Mahmoud 
Damad Pasha, brother-in-law of the Sultan of Turkey, 
and Hadji Kadri and Siret, two other Turkish exiles, 
who were accused of sedition and conspiracy, and, 
having fled from Constantinople, took refuge upon the 
beautiful Greek island, where they were received with 
warm sympathy and treated with distinguished respect. 
The government of Greece, however, could not very 
well furnish an asylum to Turkish fugitives of such 
eminent notoriety. The relations between the two 
countries have been cordial since the close of the 
war four years ago, and the Grecian ministry con- 
sidered it prudent not to offer any new cause of 
offense. So the Sultan's brother-in-law and his com- 
panions were requested to leave Corfu and go to 
Switzerland, which is the most hospitable country in 
Europe to political exiles. 

Corfu hates the Turks. No people on the earth's 
surface hates them more, not even the Bulgarians or 
Macedonians, although more than two centuries have 
passed since the wrongs of which they complain were 
committed. From 1815 to 1863, with the other Ionian 
islands, Corfu was occupied by the English, and in the 
latter year, upon the accession of the present King 
George to the throne, Mr. Gladstone persuaded Queen 
Victoria to give them back to Greece. That accounts 
for a statue of Mr. Gladstone, before the university in 
Athens, erected by the students a few years ago. 

Fortunately for those who go to Corfu to enjoy the 



FROM CORFU TO CORINTH 315 

climate— and it is a favorite winter resort for people 
with weak lungs, and other invalids— the English 
administration built a fine system of roads which are 
still kept in comparatively good repair, although the 
modern Greeks will never be celebrated for road- 
building. You can drive from one end of the island 
' to the other and, during the spring and autumn, it is as 
near paradise as any place on earth. The late 
Empress of Austria had a beautiful villa on the out- 
skirts of the city. It was proposed to bring the late 
Czar of Russia to Corfu in the hope that his life might 
be saved, and numerous other famous invalids have 
sought health and strength in its glorious sunshine and 
soft, but invigorating air. 

The island embraces about 277 square miles, and is 
thickly settled, having more than 115,000 inhabitants 
Most of the surface is covered with olive groves. It 
is estimated that there are more than 4,000,000 trees, 
which are allowed to grow without pruning and 
develop a beauty and attain a size unparalleled else- 
where. The manufacture and export of preserved 
olives and olive oil is the chief occupation of the 
people, but they raise a good deal of other fruit and 
wine, and their cheese made from goat's milk is famous 
in the London and Paris markets. 

To the beauty of the scenery and the delightful 
climate is added the charm that always attends the 
mysteries of mythology, and besides the romance of 
Ulysses many other stories of ancient days were 
located there. Near the base of a picturesque old cita- 
del with twin towers is a low, circular structure dating 
back to the sixth or seventh century before Christ, but 
the inscription is still decipherable and records that 
this monument was erected to Menerates, son of 



3i6 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

Tlasias, who lost his life by drowning. Near by are 
two or three monuments erected in honor of officials 
of the British government who distinguished them- 
selves during the occupation. 

Sailing toward Patras, the steamer from Corfu soon 
passes the Ambracian Gulf, where Octavius laid the 
foundation of his influence in Rome by a victory over 
the fleet of his rival, Mark Antony, and a little farther 
down is the island of Leucas, where, according to the 
ancient story-tellers, Sappho plunged into the sea 
because Phaon did not return her love. A little 
farther on is Ithaca, whose connection with the Odyssey 
has made it familiar to every student of Greek, for the 
wanderings and misfortunes, the sufferings and the 
fortitude of Ulysses, the king of this island, have been 
handed down to us in one of the most fascinating 
stories of adventure. His descendants occupy Ithaca 
to-day, and are distinguished for their bold seaman- 
ship, their love of home, their hospitality and their 
courage, and their mercantile instincts have made 
them rich. The most important product of the island 
is a strong aromatic wine. They show you where 
Homer lived in the town of Stavros, and an ancient 
staircase cut in the rock leads past a Greek church to 
a rectangular forum hewn in the side of the mountain. 
It is surrounded by seats and looks like an ancient 
place of worship, but is claimed to be the place where 
Homer had a school. 

Nearly every natural phenomenon upon the island is 
described in the Odyssey — even a stalactite cave to 
which any boy in town will lead you through a vine- 
yard and over stony goat pastures. The entrance is 
narrow, and it is hard work for fat men to squeeze 
through, but with a little effort you can enter a damp 



FROM CORFU TO CORINTH 317 

chamber about fifty feet in diameter and thirty feet in 
height, from the roof of which hang numerous stalac- 
tites like those to be seen in Mammoth Cave, Ken- 
tucky. If you want to know how it looks, read Book 
XIII of the Odyssey, where Homer describes the 
grotto of the nymphs. 

The suitors of Penelope waited for the return of 
Telemachus upon a little island on the east of Ithaca, 
and on the island of Zante, from which we get so 
many currants and raisins, the fishermen still collect 
pitch to calk their boats from a spring mentioned by 
Herodotus. 

Patras is one of the most enterprising commercial 
towns of Greece, and one of the oldest. It is second 
to Athens in population and has one-third of all the 
commerce of the country. In some respects it is the 
most modern of Grecian towns, but its history can be 
traced back at least seven centuries before Christ. 
Patras was also one of the first centers of Christian 
teaching, and, according to local tradition, the Apostle 
Andrew was crucified and buried there. He is the 
patron saint of the town and the cathedral is dedicated 
to his memory. 

Near by is a curious spring, to which is attached a 
superstition that has kept its hold upon the people 
since the age of mythology, when, as now, sick people 
looked upon their reflections in the water and by 
their appearance judged as to the probability of 
recovery. The effect appears to be a matter of light. 
If the sun is obscured by clouds or happens to be in a 
certain part of the heavens every face reflected in the 
water shows a deathlike pallor. With a clear sky and 
at high noon the reflection is always full and ruddy 
with color. 



3i8 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

From Patras to Corinth, along the edge of the gulf, 
through olive groves and currant plantations, with a 
range of snow-clad mountains on one side and pic- 
turesque hills on the other, is a delightful journey. 
The culture of currants seems to absorb the greatest 
degree of attention. They tell me that toothsome 
little fruit was formerly called "corenth," taking its 
name from the historic city. The currant trade is the 
largest and the most profitable in Greece, and a 
considerable part of the cultivated area is planted like 
the vineyards of Italy, in rows about three feet apart, 
with single stalks, which are trimmed down every fall 
in order to strengthen the roots. New shoots spring 
out with the sunshine in March and April, and, by 
August, are loaded with large light and dark currants 
unlike those grown in America. You can buy them in 
boxes at any grocery store for mince pies, fruit-cake, 
plum pudding or that sort of thing. The devel- 
opment of this industry has been gradual. In 1830, 
after the independence of Greece was established, the 
crop amounted to only about 1,900 tons. In 1899 it 
was 153,500 tons, and it was a poor year. The average 
for the last ten years has been about 170,000 tons, and 
the value of the currants exported annually has 
reached nearly ;^8,ooo,ooo. The largest quantity goes 
to England and France. The United States takes 
10,000 tons, which, you must appreciate, is an enormous 
quantity of dried currants. The French wine-growers 
use them for toning up their wine. 

While currant-culture is profitable, there is a good 
deal of risk in it. The crop is easily affected both by 
drought and excessive rains. Severe wind-storms may 
blow the fruit off the bushes, and the hills surrounding 
the Gulf of Corinth, which is the most productive 



FROM CORFU TO CORINTH 



319 



section of the country, are exposed to storms which at 
any day may convert a good crop into a poor one. 

Olive oil is also a source of wealth, and the beautiful 
silver-leaved trees are one of the pleasantest features 
of the landscape. Olive trees live to a great age. It 
is asserted by some who delight to entertain travelers 
that groves are now standing which bore fruit in the 
days of Socrates and Demosthenes, and near Eleusis, 
trees are pointed out which may have been standing 
for 2,800 years. The trunks are enormous and are 
perforated with holes, new bark having grown around 
the wounds made by decay. Most of the olives are 
consumed in the country. Much of the oil is sent to 
France. 

Owing to the infrequent and irregular rains, irriga- 
tion is necessary everywhere in Greece; and every 
farmer has a simple and limited irrigation system of 
his own. The water is pumped up from wells by blind- 
folded mules, horses or oxen, and pours into cement 
reservoirs set at such an elevation as will give a natu- 
ral flow into the fields. Windmills are not used. 

At every railway station were crowds of people, 
many of them in the picturesque native costume, 
which is a cross between that of a ballet-dancer and a 
Highland chieftain. The kilts are white cotton, 
accordion-plaited, and worn over white woolen tights, 
with black garters below the knee. The shoe or 
slipper is without a heel, curling up over the toe like 
an old-fashionedf skate, and having a large rosette or 
pompon of silk or black cotton upon the tip. The 
jacket is beautifully embroidered in gold or silver braid, 
sleeveless and open in front. The shirt sleeves of 
cotton are full and flowing, and the front of the shirt 
is plaited. The collar is a stiff circlet, embroidered 



320 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

with gold thread or braid; the girdle is often of leather 
or sometimes a sort of sash. A Greek gentleman in 
full dress or a servant in complete livery will wear a 
pistol and two or three daggers stuck in between his 
belt and his shirt-front in a handy sort of way. The 
peasant wears a leathern belt, with a sheathed dagger 
or a pouch over the pit of his stomach, from which the 
handles of a knife and a revolyer usually protrude. 
The Greek still wears the red Phrygian cap upon his 
head, and the tassel dangles down upon his shoulder 
in an artistic way. 

A "well-greaved Greek" is the most picturesque 
looking object in Europe. No other costume will 
compare with his; but, like all national peculiarities, 
it is gradually becoming obsolete. You see it in the 
country and towns of the interior, but in the cities few 
people wear it. The aristocracy dress their servants 
in that way, which has made it unpopular among the 
mechanics and the working classes generally. They 
fear people will mistake them for household servants. 

In the rural districts, however, those objections do 
not prevail, and almost all the natives at the railway 
stations and the few men who were digging in the 
fields were in native dress. Their picturesqueness 
would be greatly enhanced if they were a little neater 
about their persons. At first acquaintance the modern 
Greek does not inspire either admiration or confi- 
dence. He is very dirty as to his garments, as to his 
habits and as to his house, and, I grieve to say, judging 
from appearances, that he lets his wife and sisters 
carry more than their share of the load. Most of the 
labor in the fields, as we passed through on the rail- 
roads, was being done by women. We saw women 
staggering along the highways under heavy cargoes, 



FROM CORFU TO CORINTH 



321 



which they carried upon their heads, and clambering 
down from the mountains with big bundles of fagots 
upon their backs. In fact, the men seemed to have 
selected the easy jobs. None of them had burdens 
upon their heads or backs, and very few were toiling 
in the fields. They were driving carts and watching 
the sheep, goats and swine while their wives and 
daughters were swinging the hoe. 

"As beautiful as a Greek shepherd" used to be a 
favorite phrase with writers of romance, but I doubt if 
those who used it had ever seen one, for the ideal 
Greek shepherd is not visible to the ordinary eye. 
The men who tend the flocks are stupid, filthy-looking 
fellows, with blank faces, matted beards and clothing 
that apparently has never seen a laundry. The ancient 
Greek knew all about statuary and architecture. That 
we know by evidences that have been found under the 
soil of his country; but the modern Greek of the 
working class lives in a house that is comfortless, 
unclean and dismal, with no evidences of beauty or 
taste or culture. He needs whitewash, chloride of 
lime and carbolic acid, although it is claimed by many 
that his intellect is as strong and active as those of 
his prototype who lived twenty centuries ago. 

In passing through the railway towns of the "currant 
country" nature alone is lovely. Everything else 
seems stricken with poverty and neglect. The men 
who hang around the railway stations seem to be 
indifferent to their condition and do not inspire either 
respect or admiration, although their conversational 
powers seem to be well developed, and nearly every 
one of them carried a string of beads — not to count his 
prayers, but to occupy his hands while talking. Beads 
are aids to conversation. Members of parliament use 



322 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

them when making speeches. I never learned that 
Demosthenes required any such auxiliary to elo- 
quence, but am assured that the activity of the brain 
and the fluency of tongue are increased by fingering 
them. 

Modern Corinth, which stands at the head of the 
gulf, is a town of four thousand inhabitants, having 
been founded only forty years ago, after the last 
houses of the ancient town had been overturned by an 
earthquake. During recent years its prosperity has 
been considerably revived by the completion of a ship- 
canal, cut through the clay ridge that divides the Gulf 
of Corinth and the Saronic Gulf, which shortens the 
journey for ships by two hundred and two miles. The 
idea of cutting a canal through that isthmus was pro- 
posed by the ancients and was undertaken by Caesar, 
Hadrian and Nero. Traces of the work of Nero still 
exist. The present canal was built by a French com- 
pany and opened in 1893. It is three miles and a half 
in length, one hundred feet in breadth, and can 
accommodate vessels drawing twenty-six feet of water. 
There are no locks or sluices, but it is on the tidewater 
level, with breakwaters to protect the entrances. 

Old Corinth, that St. Paul visited three times and 
possibly four, and which was one of the most impor- 
tant, luxurious, immoral and enterprising cities of his 
day, is dead and buried. Buttercups and dandelions 
are growing upon its grave, as bright and cheerful as 
those that decorate the prairies of Kansas or the door- 
yards of New England. The Grecian buttercup is not 
so large nor so beautiful as that we found in Norway, 
but it gives one a home feeling to find it everywhere — 
a universal flower. New Corinth resembles Santa Fe 
and other of the adobe towns of New Mexico and 



FROM CORFU TO CORINTH 323 

Arizona. It is surrounded by clay cliffs, weatherworn 
into fantastic shapes like those of the Rio Grande 
valley, and the dust is deep in the unpaved streets. 
The same lean cattle, mangy dogs and half-naked 
children playing in the sunshine; the same diminutive 
donkeys, the modern "Greek slaves," bearing burdens 
that hide their bodies and leave only their legs and 
ears exposed; the same mud fences and adobe walls 
that are found in New Mexico; the same bake- 
ovens beside the cabins, and women of similar feat- 
ures, wearing similar garments, picking the live 
stock out of the children's hair. Crowds of men 
are sitting at tables in front of the cafes, drinking 
coffee and talking politics, and the same dilapidated 
vehicles that you see in the old Spanish-American 
settlements were waiting for our arrival at the railway 
station. 

The town has a beautiful site, at the head of the 
gulf. The water has a deep-blue color, with opalescent 
tints upon the surface. It receded in ancient times 
and left a sandy beach upon which goats were browsing 
among old barrel-hoops, piles of rubbish and strug- 
gling weeds, and fishermen were leisurely mending 
their nets beside their boats, or in the shade of the 
little shanties in which they keep their implements. 
Modern Corinth is surrounded by mighty hills upon 
which shepherds were guarding sheep and cattle, and 
when storms come upon them they find shelter in the 
caves that the wind and the rain have burrowed in the 
clay cliffs. At the top of the highest hill, the Acro- 
Corinth, as it is called, is a medieval fortress erected 
by the Venetians when they possessed the country. 
It is surrounded by ruins of houses and temples from 
which the material to build the fort was taken. The 



324 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

view from the peak, famous even in antiquity, 
embraces a great part of the mountainous district on 
both sides of the Gulf of Corinth, which is spread out 
like a map around the observer. In ancient times a 
watch was always kept there to signal the approach of 
an enemy to the people of the towns and the farmers 
in the valley below. 

The traveler who enters Greece from the west has a 
continuousView of Parnassus, which rears its snow-clad 
summit among less famous mountains upon the oppo- 
site side of the gulf, and beside it is the beautiful 
Helicon, the haunt of the Muses. In clear weather 
the Acropolis of Athens is visible, the pillars of the 
Parthenon and the glistening marble walls of the royal 
palace. 

Near the base of Acro-Corinth is the remarkable 
spring of Pirene, which, according to mythology, 
gushed forth at a stroke of the hoof of Pegasus, and 
was bestowed on Sisyphus by the river god Asopus, in 
return for his having revealed the hiding-place of the 
owner's daughter, Aegina, who had been carried off by 
Zeus. Near by are ruins of a barracks and several 
dismounted cannon. 

In the golden age, four hundred years before Christ, 
old Corinth was the most splendid, luxurious and 
wealthy, the most frivolous and wicked of all the 
cities of Greece. It was a commercial metropolis, the 
Chicago of that period, a center and focus of financial 
affairs, and stood upon a plateau about six miles from 
the sea, upon the side of the hill called Acro-Corinth, 
looking down upon a narrow and beautiful inlet of 
blue water, between two ranges of mountains. The 
Gulf of Corinth is often compared to the fjords of 
Norway, but its surroundings are mild and modest 



FROM CORFU TO CORINTH 325 

beside their rugged grandeur. It bears a closer resem- 
blance to the Bosphorus and to the Inland Sea of Japan. 

The road which leads from the railway station at 
new Corinth to the ruins of the old city is exception- 
ally good for Greece. It rises with an almost imper- 
ceptible grade toward a group of seven majestic 
columns, the earliest examples of the Doric school of 
architecture extant, and one of the oldest and most 
precious monuments of the art, scholarship and 
religion of ancient Greece. They are deeply fluted 
monoliths, twenty-three and one-half feet high, five 
feet and eight inches in diameter at the base and four 
feet and three inches at the top, with projecting cap- 
itals and heavy entablature. They were once covered 
with enamel. Five of them are nearly perfect. The 
other two have been broken and the pieces are now 
held together by iron bands. All have been gnawed 
more or less by the tooth of time and show curious 
wounds, which look as if they had been cut with a 
chisel. These pillars are all that remain of the famous 
Temple of Apollo, the ideal of Doric architecture, the 
noblest, simplest and most natural of all the schools. 

Unconscious of their artistic and archeological 
advantages, which students travel four thousand miles 
to enjoy, the Grecian peasants continue to plow the 
adjacent fields, and, the day that we rode through, 
groups of women with tucked-up skirts were breaking 
the earth with heavy hoes and heaping it around the 
roots of the currant bushes. Fields of winter wheat 
were vivid with tender shoots of green, and a fodder 
plant that resembles alfalfa was growing bravely on 
the other side of formidable fences built with stones 
stolen from the ruins of the old metropolis. Here 
and there is an old-fashioned threshing-floor, almost 



326 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

as venerable as the pillars of the temple, a circle thirty 
or forty feet in diameter, paved with smooth stones, 
upon which, after the harvest, the grain is separated 
from the stalk by driving hoofed cattle over it. In his 
Epistle to the Corinthians, Paul recalled to them that 
pious injunction in Deuteronomy, "Thou shalt not 
muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn," but he 
might have appealed to them also in behalf of the 
blindfolded donkeys that patiently follow the tread- 
mills to fill the irrigation reservoirs so that the plants 
may live when the earth is dry. 

Women were washing at the reservoirs and spread- 
ing the garments out upon the grass and cobble-stones 
to dry, and little children were amusing themselves 
with the same simple games that absorb the attention 
of childhood in America. 

Before reaching the site of the old city we passed a 
cross-roads where a troop of young Corinthians was 
rushing out of an unpainted adobe schoolhouse. 
Nearly all of them were clothed in tunics made of blue 
and white checked gingham, the favorite pattern for 
aprons among New England housewives. It was the 
noonday recess, and, notwithstanding their traditional 
eagerness for intellectual culture, it is evident that the 
schoolboys of Greece feel more amiable when coming 
away from the schoolhouse than when they are follow- 
ing their noses in the other direction. They were 
playing pranks upon one another, and we stopped the 
carriage to see the result of an amateur wrestling 
match. In the adjoining lot was a boy about twelve 
years old, clad in a similar tunic, herding a drove of 
pigs. He looked as if he felt his humiliating situa- 
tion, and we silently extended our sympathy to him. 
I felt like reminding the youngster, for his encourage- 



FROM CORFU TO CORINTH 327 

ment and consolation, that one of the noblest and the 
greatest of the popes was a pig-driver when he was a 
boy, and that also was the occupation of Pizarro, the 
conquistador of Peru, before he entered the Spanish 
army. 

Where this schoolhouse stands was once a suburb of 
Corinth, known as Kraneion, which, about 2,300 years 
ago, was the abode of an old crank named Diogenes; 
perhaps not the first, and I am certain not the last, of 
the cynics. He was born and brought up in the town of 
Sinope, where his father was a money-changer, and the 
old man, being deficient in the moral perception and the 
cunning of some of the modern Greeks, was detected 
in the adulteration of coin. He died in prison, and 
the disgrace seems to have soured the life of his son, 
who wandered about telling people what fools they 
were to waste their time in enjoyment; and, to practice 
what he preached, he discarded all earthly possessions 
except a cloak, a wallet in which he carried bread, and 
a wooden bowl. He threw the last away some time 
after, when he saw a boy drinking out of the hollow of 
his hand— at least that is the story as I remember it 
from my college days, when for a time I knew Diog- 
enes and other famous Greeks quite intimately. 

When Diogenes finally reached Corinth he found 
that prosperous and luxurious city a fine field for a 
cynic to work in, and took lodgings and office-room in 
a large jar that was made to hold wine but had been 
thrown away as leaky and useless. He used to make 
fun of the rich and vain Corinthians, and although he 
ate nothing but scraps that the cooks threw at him, he 
lived to a very old age, and became so famous that 
Alexander the Great came to visit him. After a mem- 
orable interview, when the emperor arose to take his 



328 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

departure, with a gracious impulse he told the old 
cynic that he would grant him any favor that 
he desired to ask. Diogenes looked up with a 
twinkle in his eye, and requested him to get out of 
his light. 

Diogenes died from the bite of a dog, and his last 
request to the neighbors was that they throw his body 
into the alley for the dogs to eat; but they refused to 
do so, and gave him a noble funeral and erected a 
monument in his honor, upon which was carved the 
figure of a dog — the symbol of his life. 

A little village of fifty or sixty houses, with a store 
or two, a post-office and a cafe, occupies the site of the 
old city. Part of the lands about have been purchased 
by the American Archeological Institute. Its repre- 
sentatives from the American School of Classical 
Studies at Athens have been engaged for several years 
in making excavations, and have laid bare a consider- 
able portion of old Corinth, including the forum, the 
market-place, the temple of justice, three fountains, 
baths hewn in the solid rock, and several dwellings 
and buildings that were occupied for business 
purposes. The work is being extended gradually as 
fast as the limited funds of the society will allow, and 
the disclosures are of great classical interest and 
importance to historians and students. It will be con- 
tinued until all the important ruins are disclosed. 
Near by, upon a convenient roadway, a warehouse has 
been erected to preserve the statues, the inscriptions 
and other small articles of interest that are found in 
the excavations. 

Unfortunately for us, the laws of Greece prohibit the 
exportation of these relics. The government is very 
sfrict about such matters. No excavations can be 







S CO 

O ctf 

H 2 

l-H <U 



FROM CORFU TO CORINTH 329 

made without a permit from the authorities, who 
designate an inspector to supervise them, and he 
keeps a careful watch upon all that is done. Every- 
thing must go to the museum at Athens unless the 
owner of the property is willing to erect a building for 
the public exhibition of whatever he may find. In this 
way some of the old cities and the little towns of 
Greece have secured local museums which possess a 
certain advantage in enabling students to study arche- 
ology upon the ground, but this scarcely offsets 
many disadvantages, for most of them are difficult of 
access. The most important articles discovered at 
Corinth have been sent by the American school to the 
National Museum at Athens, 

At a shop in the village a few fragments of indiffer- 
ent value from the excavations are for sale, and they 
are no doubt genuine. Bogus antiquities are manu- 
factured in large quantities, but most of them are more 
expensive than the genuine. Although the Romans 
carried away from Greece the choicest works of art to 
embellish their palaces and temples, and vandals have 
been following their example ever since, the earth is 
still full of marble, pottery and bronzes, which are 
being uncovered daily. But most of the work is done 
by foreigners. The Greek government is so poor that 
it can afford to do but little, and the citizens have 
other uses for their money. 

Near the excavations, in front of a low adobe hut, 
sat an aged man in the native costume, smoking his 
pipe and rocking the cradle of a child. He might 
have posed for a portrait of Diogenes. 

In the center of the village is an enormous plane- 
tree, which shades a triangular market-place. Several 
men were sipping coffee at little tables and babbling 



330 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

children were playing around them who evidently did 
not realize the historical sanctity of their surround- 
ings. 

Old Corinth has as much interest for' religious 
people as for archeologists and historians, for it is 
closely associated with the missionary work of St. 
Paul. In the year 51, in company with Luke the 
Evangelist, he visited Macedonia — where Miss Stone 
was captured by brigands. At Philippi he was 
scourged, imprisoned and put into the stocks. There 
was an earthquake while he was in prison and he con- 
verted the jailer. Having frightened the officials by 
telling them that he was a Roman, they permitted him 
to depart, and he sailed to Athens, where he preached 
an eloquent sermon from Mars Hill. Then he came 
to Corinth, lodged at the house of Gains, and found 
Aquila and Priscilla, and there Silas and Timotheus 
joined him. He lived at Corinth a year and a half, 
and there wrote his first epistle to the Thessalonians, 
which he sent by the hand of Timotheus. He was 
then brought before Gallio, the proconsul, a brother 
of Seneca, the great philosopher, who was prime min- 
ister for the Emperor Nero, at Rome, at that time. 
After this he "tarried there yet a good while" before 
returning to Syria and Jerusalem. Six years later he 
visited Corinth again, "and there abode three months" 
at the house of Gains, where he wrote his epistles to 
the Romans and Galatians, after which he returned 
again to Jerusalem and then made his fatal journey to 
Rome. 

Timotheus was left in charge of the church at Cor- 
inth, and when Paul sent him there he said: "Let no 
man despise him." It would be interesting to know 
the places in Corinth where Paul lived and preached, 



FROM CORFU TO CORINTH 



331 



and perhaps American shovels may yet discover some 
evidences of his life there, although beyond his own 
testimony we know nothing about it. The lintel of 
the Jewish synagogue has been found already by the 
American excavations. 



XVI 



MODERN ATHENS 

Modern Athens is a city of marble. Many of the 
dwellings and business houses and nearly all the public 
edifices are of that material, and even the sidewalks 
on some of the streets are paved with it. Upon the 
bosom of Mount Pentelikos are two great gashes 
which can be seen for many miles. One of them is 
the quarry from which was hewn the marble for the 
Parthenon, the Temple of Jupiter, the Temple of 
Theseus and other famous structures of ancient 
Athens. The other wound was made in modern times, 
and shows the source of the material of which the 
present city of Athens was built. The authorities have 
protected the old quarry for historical and archeo- 
logical reasons, and nothing has been taken from it 
for several centuries. The other quarry is just as 
good. The stone is easily cut and removed, andi 
although the grain is not so fine as the Parian marble 
from the quarries in southern Greece, it is equal to 
that from the famous Carrara quarries of Italy, and 
costs much less. I was wondering why some enter- 
prising American did not build a railway to the quarry 
from Piraeus, the seaport of Athens, so as to export 
the marble, for none is exported now. It need be 
only about eighteen miles long, not counting the 
curves necessary to make the grade, and it could be 
run on the gravity principle. 

The use of marble and white stucco gives modern 
Athens an appearance of neatness and beauty which 

332 



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MODERN ATHENS 



333 



there is no soot to deface. The dust is very bad, 
however, when the wind blows. The streets are 
unpaved and the soil is a clay that moistens into mud 
or dries into dust very readily, and a waiter always 
stands at the door of the hotel with a feather duster to 
brush off your boots. One of the streets is named in 
honor of ^lEolus, the god of the winds, but he does not 
confine his attentions to that thoroughfare. In the old 
part of Athens is a well-preserved octagonal structure 
of marble called the Tower of the Winds, and one 
might suppose that it was the place where they origi- 
nated, but the name seems to have been given merely 
because it was surmounted by a weather-vane. The 
tower was built about a hundred years before Christ by 
Andronicus of Syria, so an inscription tells us, as a 
compliment to the city of Athens, and was adorned 
with a sun-dial and a clock that was run by water- 
power in some ingenious manner; but the exact plan 
of its operation is not understood by modern mortals. 
An aqueduct supplied a cistern and the cistern fed 
machinery too complicated for modern horologists to 
comprehend. 

The streets leading east from the Tower of the Winds 
enter a depression in the side of a hill, inclosed by a 
wall which was formerly the site of a school called the 
Diogeneion, supposed to have been founded by 
Diogenes, the famous cynic in the third century 
before Christ. 

The palace of the king is an ugly modern structure, 
of which a nation with the taste of the Greeks ought 
to be ashamed. It looks like a factory, but the other 
public buildings are so imposing and appropriate, par- 
ticularly a group of three — the university, the 
Academy of Sciences and the library — that they more 



334 The TURK ajtd his LOST PROVINCES 

than offset the atrocity in which the king resides. I 
doubt if there is a more beautiful combination of 
buildings in all the world. The academy, designed by 
a Vienna architect, is asserted to be the purest 
example of the classic school that has arisen in 
modern times. The surroundings are appropriate, and 
the entire street, called University Street, is worthy of 
the artistic traditions of the Athenians, as well as the 
spirit of modern enterprise, 

A pretty park adjoins the palace grounds in the 
center of the city, and several of the residence streets 
are lined with pepper-trees, but there is no other shade 
in Athens — except the awnings stretched across the 
sidewalks in the business section to shelter show- 
windows and politicians who sit at little tables in 
front of the cafes. The gleam of the white marble is 
painful to the eyes. The architecture of most of the 
houses in the new quarter of the town is pure Greek; 
simple, dignified and stately; a striking contrast to 
the picturesque squalor and dilapidation of Constanti- 
nople and the ornate embellishment of the Italian 
cities. Some critics complain that the architecture of 
Athens is monotonous,, but it is the monotony of pure 
and simple taste, and none can deny the beauty of the 
residences. Most of them are constructed upon 
modern plans, especially the interiors, to meet the 
demand for conveniences, and I am sure that the 
private buildings of Athens to-day are more comfort- 
able and beautiful than in the days of Pericles and 
Phidias. The mountain Pentelikos can furnish all the 
marble that is necessary to meet the demands of the 
builders for twenty-five more centuries. 

In the old part of the city the streets are narrow, 
dirty, and the odors rise to heaven. The modern 



MODERN ATHENS 335 

Greek peasant is not a tidy person, nor is his wife, and 
the street that passes his dwelling, the house in which 
he lives and all his surroundings are repulsive to the 
eye, the nostrils and the sense of propriety. 

There are three theaters in Athens, one of them a 
stately marble building of classic design, at which 
original plays in Greek are produced to encourage 
native literary genius. An opera company comes over 
from Italy for two or three weeks every winter, but 
otherwise there is very little music in Athens. Nor is 
there any modern art. The museum is not attractive 
to ordinary visitors, but it is a fountain of joy and 
never-ending bliss to archeologists, being filled with 
broken statuary and pottery, old bronzes and tablets 
bearing inscriptions that are half-effaced, leaving just 
enough to excite curiosity and controversy among 
students. 

The classic spirit still prevails in Greece. It even 
pervades the common council of Athens, or whoever 
has the duty of naming the streets, for they are nearly 
all called in honor of the ancient gods, philosophers 
and poets of the golden age. The Boulevard of the 
University and the Boulevard of the Academy are the 
broadest and the finest avenues in the residence 
portion of the city, while the principal business street 
is named in honor of Mercury. Other streets are 
called after Solon, vEsculapius, Hippocrates, Aris- 
totle, Thucydides, Pericles, Sophocles, Menander, 
Venus, Pan, Hebe, Apollo, Jupiter, Theseus, Philip, 
Constantine and most of the holy apostles. One of 
the principal hotels is the Minerva, and it is the 
fashion to christen shops in honor of the great men of 
the past. Classic names are also usual in baptizing 
children. You frequently hear of Hermes, Alcibiades 



336 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

and Homer, and the Athens city directory reads like 
the muster-roll of the army of Agamemnon, which you 
will find in the early part of Homer. Achilles, Ajax, 
Menelaus, Miltiades, Leonidas, Themistocles, and 
other names equally familiar to students of Greek, are 
in daily use among the people. 

Greece is a true democracy. No other country in 
Europe, not even Norway, is so subject to the will of 
the people, and the democratic spirit is often shown 
in ways that are disagreeable. The feeling of equality 
is general, and there is an undisguised jealousy 
against one man rising above another. That is one of 
the great obstacles to progress — a sort of dead-line 
which no man can cross without being made the target 
of every selfish and dissatisfied citizen who construes 
the superiority of his neighbor as a personal grievance 
and an offense against the individual and the state. 
The king is a foreigner. Were he not a foreigner he 
might not be king. Those who know the Greek char- 
acter best declare that it would be difficult, if not 
impossible, for the Greeks to permit one of their own 
citizens to rule over them. The king is democratic 
enough to suit their tastes. He mingles freely with 
the people, and while he maintains beyond criticism 
the dignity that becomes his position, he is neverthe- 
less simple in his habits, unostentatious in his exercise 
of power and loves nothing so well as to be con- 
sidered one of the Greeks. There have been no 
scandals or intrigues at his court. The scepter has not 
been wielded to the injury of any one. He treats 
everybody alike and perhaps goes a little too far that 
way, because the exercise of more severe discipline 
might do something to suppress crime. The king's 
example is followed by his sons, his ministers and the 



MODERN ATHENS 



Zll 



attaches of the court, and therefore is imitated by the 
people. The children have inherited the spirit. The 
common schools of Athens are attended by boys and 
girls of all grades of society, the children of laborers 
sitting beside those of the ministers of state, reading 
from the same books and engaging in the same games. 

Travelers in the country sometimes complain that 
the democratic spirit is offensive; that the "common 
people" sometimes are too aggressive and independ- 
ent. I heard an English gentleman relate his experi- 
ence with the villagers of the interior, which was 
evidence that they considered themselves quite as 
good as he, and he declared that such things could 
never have occurred in England, or in the United 
States, for that matter. A gentleman who has lived 
many years in Greece explained that the peasants did 
not intend to be impertinent, but were simply exer- 
cising what they believed to be their privileges, and 
demonstrating that a practical democracy was in 
working order. There is no lack of discipline among 
the servant class, but they assert their rights like the 
servant-girls of New England. 

Athenian society is divided into sets, as it is every- 
where; first, the court set, made up of the higher 
officials, members of the diplomatic corps, officers of 
the army and navy, rich residents both foreign and 
native who entertain extensively, and others who are 
honored with a personal acquaintance with the royal 
family. This set is more or less exclusive, and 
includes only a small fraction of those who are 
entitled to invitations to court functions. The king's 
balls and receptions are very much like those at the 
White House in Washington, and people with shabby 
clothes and muddy boots are often present, because 



338 The TURK arid his LOST PROVINCES 

their political influence, if not their social position 
entitles them to invitations. There are no orders of 
nobility in Greece. There is only one order of knight- 
hood—the Order of the Savior, which is conferred by 
the king for distinguished services of any character. 
About one-half of the honors go to the army and navy; 
the next in number are to those who have distinguished 
themselves in the service of the state, either as execu- 
tives, legislators or members of the diplomatic corps, 
and after them come the scientists, who esteem the 
ribbon very highly. Some of the descendants of the 
ancient nobility try to retain their titles, but are laughed 
at. Men whose ancestors played a conspicuous part 
in patriotic movements are much more admired and 
envied, but even they have to give way to learning, for 
scholars stand higher in Greece to-day than any other 
class of the community, and learning is considered of 
more value than great riches. 

The education of women is gradually reaching a 
level with that of men. There are still certain social 
restraints, due to tradition and the influence of the 
neighboring countries of Europe, and the old-fashioned 
method of contracting marriages between families still 
prevails; but, speaking generally, the women of Greece 
are to-day quite as independent, quite as influential 
and quite as well educated as any on the continent, 
south of Sweden, and it is gratifying to know that the 
queen herself has been one of the most active and 
influential agents in bringing about the emancipation 
of her sex. 

Athens has more than her share of newspapers, 
dailies, weeklies and those of occasional publication, 
which are not intended for news purposes, but to 
express the opinions of the different owners or editors 



MODERN ATHENS 339 

upon public affairs. Even these are not sufficient, 
however, and the politicians and the editors visit the 
cafes every evening, and often in the afternoon, in 
order to proclaim their views to whomsoever it may 
concern. Coffee-houses have taken the place of the 
ancient forums, and one of the largest in Athens is 
called "Public Opinion Coffee-house." Instead of 
referring to a man as a demagogue or a pot-house poli- 
tician, over here they call him a coffee-house politician, 
and nowhere in the country is there such an abundance 
of oratorical talent and public sentiment as in these 
institutions. They are the resort of would-be leaders 
who cannot afford to maintain newspapers and are 
reduced to the necessity of communicating their 
thoughts by word of mouth. The newspapers contain 
very little news — a few brief telegrams from London, 
Paris, Berlin, Vienna and Constantinople, relating to 
the most important events of the day; a report of the 
proceedings* of parliament; a review of the decisions 
of the courts; a few paragraphs of local news; per- 
sonal items concerning the royal family and prominent 
citizens; half a column of market quotations, an 
installment of a continued story, and a few miscel- 
laneous items clipped from other European news- 
papers. The remainder of the sheet is filled with 
editorials and communications upon political topics, 
which are discussed with the greatest freedom, for in 
Greece the liberty of the press is not abridged. Both 
editors and correspondents seem to feel as much at 
liberty as in the United States to criticise or con- 
demn the policy of the government, the extravagance 
of the officials, the inefficiency of the army, the cor- 
ruption of parliament, and even the personal habits of 
public men. 



340 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

Visitors to Greece are always amazed at the criminal 
statistics, particularly at the number of murders, and 
can scarcely believe them to be accurate, because the 
number seems to be so much in excess of that of any 
other country in Europe, Ordinary crimes — dis- 
honesty and the vices that prevail in other countries — 
are not general, but murders occur almost daily, and 
the frequent attempts at murder and the number of 
mysterious deaths are shocking in the stage of civiliza- 
tion to which Greece has attained. In the province in 
which Athens is located homicides average annually 
almost one to i,ooo of population. It is not without 
significance that the province of Attica should be the 
scene of many homicides, for it is the center of learn- 
ing and education, the seat of the government and the 
headquarters of the national police. The causes lie 
mostly in politics. The government has forbidden the 
carrying of concealed weapons, but the law is not en- 
forced. A pouch or sheath for a knife and a revolver is a 
part of the national costume, and both are worn openly. 
You see them upon almost every Greek who wears the 
old-fashioned garments of his race, and those who have 
adopted the modern dress have hip pockets. 

When two Greeks quarrel the first act is to draw 
their knives, and unless they are separated instantly 
there is either a homicide or a case for the hospital, 
and the hospitals of Athens, which are extensive and 
up-to-date, are abundantly supplied with patients, 
especially during periods of political excitement. If 
a man is killed in a controversy it usually begins a 
feud which does not end until several graves are filled, 
because the unwritten law requires a life for a life, and 
the Greeks adhere to the vendetta as do the Corsicans 
and the people of Sicily. 



MODERN ATHENS 



341 



In the provinces of Arcadia, which is a synonym of 
peace and happiness, and in Laconia, the southern- 
most section of the Grecian peninsula, the vendetta is 
as strictly observed as it ever was in Corsica. One 
murder is usually followed by half a dozen, and some- 
times they continue until families are extinct. If 
there are no sons to take revenge, the duty passes to 
the nearest relative, and the code is understood by 
children. Singularly enough the obligation to kill 
ceases when the offending person leaves the province. 
The code prohibits attacks upon enemies when they 
remove to another part of the country. The cause of 
this extraordinary condition can be traced to the days 
of Turkish domination, when murder and other crimes 
committed upon Christians were allowed to remain 
unpunished. The Turkish officials took no notice of 
injuries suffered by unbelievers and never attempted 
to punish the perpetrators. 

The indifference of the government down to the 
present day has encouraged murder. Capital punish- 
ment is seldom inflicted, and the verdict of a court is 
generally acquittal. Those who happen to be con- 
victed are soon pardoned through political influence. 

Politics is the influential factor in this problem. 
When a man is arrested for murder, his friends and 
family naturally use every effort to secure his acquit- 
tal, and appeal to their representatives in the chamber 
of deputies and other officials of the government who 
are supposed to have a "pull" with the courts, and 
skill in convincing juries. If the defendants are con- 
victed and sent to prison their confinement must be 
made as short and as easy as possible. Hence mem- 
bers of the Greek parliament are kept quite as busy 
looking after constituents who have committed homi- 



342 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

cides as the members of our Congress are in getting 
an increase of pensions for old soldiers. 

Persons who have served a term for murder bear no 
stigma. On the contrary, as every man in Greece is 
likely to suffer a similar experience sooner or later, 
the contrary is the case. The prisons are generally 
dirty, uncomfortable and without ventilation or sani- 
tary appliances, but they are no worse in these respects 
than the homes from which the prisoners come. No 
labor is required, and there is very little discipline. 
Except in a few cases, where solitary confinement is 
the penalty, the prisoners congregate in one room 
during the daytime, and the social enjoyment is 
almost as great as if they were in their village cafes 
instead. Friends are allowed to bring them delicacies 
and bedding and to see them frequently. Thus a lazy 
man is sometimes more comfortable and happy in 
prison than out, for in the latter case he would be 
compelled to support himself. As long as he is in 
prison for such a crime as homicide, public opinion 
requires his friends and family to support him. 
Hence he can loaf, gossip, argue, smoke cigarettes 
and drink coffee all day long, which is the Greek ideal 
of happiness. If the laws could be amended so as to 
require the prisoners to work and cut off their enjoy- 
ments entirely, no doubt it would go far to diminish 
crime. 

Somebody has said that what Greece wants is not 
men of culture, but men of agriculture, and that is 
probably true. There are plenty of men to till the 
limited area between the mountains and the rocky 
plateaus if they would devote themselves to it, but it 
is the ambition of every Greek youth to obtain a 
classical education and to engage in one of the learned 



MODERN ATHENS 



343 



professions. No country in the world has so few 
children in the primary schools in proportion to the 
young men and women in the academies and univer- 
sities. One class of the population is under-educated 
and the other over-educated. Intellectual culture 
therefore is not properly distributed. A compulsory 
education law is not enforced because of the inter- 
ference of the politicians, and thousands of children 
of school age in the country districts who should 
attend school are assisting their parents on the farms 
and in the homes and adding a little to the family 
income. 

There has been no census lately, but estimates based 
upon the young men who come into the army place 
the illiterates at thirty per cent of the population in 
the country and fifteen per cent in the towns. Those 
who go to school, however, show remarkable eagerness 
for learning, and when a boy has passed through the 
secondary schools nothing will stop him from going 
to the university, where education is free. Then it is 
necessary for him to select a professional career, 
because the labor of the farm is too arduous and the 
society of the peasants is uncongenial. The students 
in the University of Athens to-day number more than 
three thousand, and the larger part of them come 
from the peasant class. As a consequence, Greece is 
oversupplied with lawyers, doctors and other profes- 
sional young men, who are compelled to get a living 
the best way they can, because there is no parental 
allowance to support them. Many of them go in for 
politics and seek offices under the government. Many 
go into the army, and more are engaged in humble 
clerical employment and are living upon crusts until 
something turns up. There are said to be more 



344 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

university graduates in Athens in proportion to the 
population than in any other city in the world, and 
the number of unemployed is very large. A few of 
them drift off into Turkey and other countries of the 
Orient, where the opportunities are greater, but so 
many remain and make a business of politics that they 
are the curse of Greece. 

The traveler who comes to Greece from Italy or 
from Turkey or the Oriental countries is always grati- 
fied at the absence of beggars. You may live there for 
years and never see one, except a few cripples, blind 
and decrepit old crones, who sit at the doors of the 
churches and hold out their hands, pleading pitifully 
for alms. There are excellent hospitals and asylums 
for all the ills and woes that humankind suffer, and, 
although there are many poor and afflicted people and 
much misery and degradation in Greece, the pride and 
independence of the people will not permit them to 
beg, and the benevolent spirit of those who are more 
prosperous makes good provision for them. Philan- 
thropy is a Greek word. In Greece children never run 
after strangers in the street and beg for pennies as 
they do in other countries of southern Europe. If 
a stranger stops on the sidewalk in Italy he is imme- 
diately surrounded by a crowd of urchins, ragged, 
dirty and impudent, who follow him for blocks with 
importunities. In Turkey and Egypt it is even worse. 
In Greece travelers are never troubled in that way. 

A long time ago a hermit made his home upon the 
top of the columns of the temple of Jupiter at Athens, 
and lived there, exposed to the sun and the wind and 
the storms, until compelled to come down. He had 
an arrangement with a woman in the neighborhood to 
provide him with food, and she used to appear every 



MODERN ATHENS 345 

morning with a basket of supplies, which he was 
accustomed to haul up to his eyrie with a clothes-line^ 

In the Odeum of Herodes Atticus, one of the loftiest 
and most conspicuous of the ruins at the base of the 
Acropolis, which was formerly a theater accommo- 
dating six thousand spectators, erected by an Athenian 
millionaire in memory of his wife, Appia Annia 
Regilla, a noble Roman lady, there is an enormous 
earthen wine-jar called a pithos. For several years 
a half-witted man named Demetrius lived in it, just as 
Diogenes lived in his jar. A kind woman in the 
neighborhood furnished him food whenever he called 
for it, and in stormy weather he covered the mouth of 
his curious dwelling with a curtain of canvas, which 
gave him adequate shelter. 

The parliament of Greece occupies a conspicuous 
building in the center of the city of Athens, which is 
the scene of frequent exciting episodes and heated 
debates. After observing the behavior of the German, 
Austrian, Hungarian, French, Italian and Greek 
chambers of deputies, I have deliberately reached the 
conclusion that the House of Representatives at Wash- 
ington is the most orderly, dignified and statesmanlike 
legislative body elected by popular suffrage — not 
excepting the House of Commons. This is a recent 
opinion, and is contrary to what I have often written. 
From the reporter's gallery of the House of Repre- 
sentatives I have witnessed some very stormy scenes 
during the last quarter of a century, but they have 
been incidental. Confusion and boisterous behavior 
in the European parliaments are chronic. The Greeks 
are so fond of debate that they ought to have several 
legislative chambers instead of one, in order to give 
the eloquent members of that body a chance to express 



346 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

their views; but, failing to get a hearing in the house, 
they go to the nearest cafe immediately after adjourn- 
ment, where they are able to discourse to their heart's 
content without interruption. 

Politics is the curse of Greece. The country is so 
small, its financial and other interests are so limited, 
and its influence in the affairs of nations so insig- 
nificant, that one would suppose the people would 
devote themselves to the development of their mate- 
rial resources and the encouragement of their indus- 
tries instead of wasting their time in useless discussions 
and quarrels. But I have always noticed that the 
smaller the country the hotter the political contests. 
In Servia, Bulgaria, and certain American republics 
where the population is less than in Greece, political 
agitation is even more bitter and a larger number of 
people give their exclusive time to it. 

I have been trying to discover the political issues in 
Greece, but have given up in despair. They seem to 
be numerous, but are not well defined. The local 
complications are too intricate to be untangled by a 
stranger, and when you bore through into the pith of 
the thing you find that the ambition to hold office is 
the ruling motive, as it is almost everywhere else. 
There are few offices in Greece and many men who 
desire to fill them. Hence the outs are opposed to 
the ins and attempt to justify their demands for 
authority by proclaiming political principles and 
promising administrative reforms. 

King George is a wise, liberal and tactful ruler. He 
has a turbulent population to deal with, but is discreet, 
judicious, generous, and never mixes in political affairs. 
He always selects his ministers from the party which 
.has a rnajority in the parliament and is usually able to 



MODERN ATHENS 347 

handle them without difficulty. He holds the confi- 
dence of the parliament and the people. Everybody 
trusts him as a safe man. The only criticism I heard 
in Greece was that he is too merciful with violators of 
the law, and perhaps it would be to the advantage of 
the country if the criminal courts were more severe in 
their penalties and the pardoning power were not so 
freely exercised. 

The political riots in Athens in the spring of 1902 
were due to an unusual cause. Greek scholars are 
very jealous of the language and are trying to restore 
ancient Greek to common use. Modern Greek is not 
taught at the university, and whether it shall be 
taught in the public schools is a political issue. The 
advocates of a return to the classic tongue insist that 
the only way to restore it is to teach it to the children 
in the primary schools. Their opponents argue that 
if the children are taught nothing but ancient Greek 
they can not read modern newspapers, magazines or 
books. Modern Greek is a corruption of the ancient 
language, which has become debased by common 
usage, as the modern Italian is a corruption of the 
ancient Latin. While it is possible for the native of 
one province to understand another in conversation, 
just as a man from New England can understand the 
lingo of the Arizona miner, very few of the common 
people are able to read the pure classic. Some of the 
literary men of the country and many politicians are 
so democratic in their notions that they would use 
nothing but the vulgar, modern Athenian dialect, and 
one man in particular has made himself conspicuous in 
support of that proposition. He has been bitterly 
denounced, however, by the university faculties and 
the serious scholars of the country, and is held up to 



348 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

students as an enemy of their language and their race. 
So he resides in England. 

This controversy is hot and cold according as provO' 
cation occurs, and volumes have been written upon 
one side and the other. During the recent war with 
Turkey, Queen Olga, who is a noble woman, famous 
for her good works, and a niece of the late Czar of 
Russia, found that the sick and wounded soldiers in 
the hospitals she visited were not able to read the 
Bibles she gave them, which were printed only in the 
classic Greek. She was greatly grieved at this, and 
arranged with two eminent members of the theological 
faculty to translate the gospels into the modern Greek. 
They were hastily printed and circulated in large num- 
bers in the army at the queen's expense. She paid the 
translators handsomely for their work and bore all the 
cost of the enterprise from her private purse. Before 
the war with Turkey had ended every soldier in the 
Greek army had one of Queen Olga's Testaments in 
his knapsack. 

The excitement was so great in those days that the 
matter was overlooked and nothing was said about it 
until last spring, when somehow or other the students 
of the university provoked an agitation and held a 
series of meetings at which inflammatory speeches 
were made against the desecration of the Holy 
Scriptures and the words of the Redeemer by trans- 
lating them into modern Greek. As is often the case, 
the police authorities used unwise measures to suppress 
the agitation, which only made it worse, and it culmi- 
nated in a mass-meeting called at the ruins of the 
Temple of Jupiter, near the base of the Acropolis and 
near the edge of the park which surrounds the palace. 
This is the usual place for public demonstrations. 



MODERN ATHENS 349 

Political meetings of all kinds are held at the Olympi- 
eion, which Aristotle describes as a "work of despotic 
grandeur." The ruins are the favorite place of 
promenade on summer evenings, and demagogues, 
fanatics and cranks take the opportunity to declaim 
their views there as they do at Hyde Park in London. 

There were originally more than one hundred 
columns of Pentelic marble, fifty-six feet high and five 
and a half feet in diameter, of the second largest 
Greek temple known, being three hundred and fifty- 
three feet in length and one hundred and thirty-four 
feet in width, dimensions exceeded only by those of 
the Temple of Diana at Ephesus. Only sixteen of the 
columns remain. Several of them are said to have 
been taken to Rome by the emperors; more have been 
broken up for building-material, and at least sixteen 
are now supporting the domes of mosques in Constan- 
tinople. 

The meeting called to discuss the queen's transla- 
tions of the gospels was a very large one, many 
people attending purely out of curiosity. It was 
managed by the students of the university, who, to 
emphasize their objections, secured several copies of 
the book and burned them over a slow fire in a dra- 
matic manner. The police attempted to disperse the 
crowd; stones were thrown, shots were fired, and an 
infuriated populace showed its resentment against the 
authorities by driving the policemen off the ground 
and using some of them very roughly. A general 
alarm was given, soldiers were called out and for two 
days it was a question whether the military or the mob 
would rule the city. The number of killed and 
wounded was quite large. At least seven students 
died in the streets or were fatally wounded, and their 



350 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

funerals were made occasions for political demonstra- 
tions. The result has been to strengthen the support 
of the classic language and to make the good queen 
very unpopular. Before this incident she was beloved 
and admired by everybody, and since no one except 
the demagogues has ever accused her of more than 
indiscretion. She was evidently unaware of the philo- 
logical controversy, and the professors who made her 
translation should have advised her of it. Her trans- 
lation, however, was never offered to the public; no 
copy was ever sold, and it was used simply for the 
purpose intended. Her Majesty's critics, however, 
made the most of the fact that she is a foreigner and 
a Russian. 

Queen Olga's nobility of character, her pure life, 
her charitable works and her spotless dignity as a 
queen, wife and mother will outlive the criticisms 
upon her indiscretion, which would be soon forgotten 
if the demagogues would drop the subject. She is a 
member of the Greek Church, sincere and earnest 
in the performance of her religious duties, and a 
strong believer in the miraculous power of an image 
of the Holy Virgin which attracts many pilgrims to a 
little town in the southern part ot Greece. She is 
actively interested in charitable work also and rarely 
fails to visit some hospital or asylum or other benevo- 
lent institution. She walks upon the streets like the 
wife of any ordinary citizen, is unassuming in her 
manners and democratic in her habits, and if a 
stranger should meet her upon an errand of mercy or 
when she is taking her constitutional he would never 
suspect her to be a queen. The court of Greece is 
said to be the purest in all Europe, for Queen Olga is 
even more critical than Queen Victoria used to be 



MODERN ATHENS 351 

concerning the character and reputation of those who 
are presented to her. There are no adventurers, 
either men or women, about the palace at Athens, 
She has brought up her boys under her own eye and 
according to her own religion, and everybody agrees 
that they are young men of exemplary character and 
habits, very different from the ordinary prince. 

The king is a Protestant. He is a son of old King 
Christian of Denmark, "the father-in-law of Europe;" 
a brother of Queen Alexandra of England, and of 
Dagmar, the empress mother of Russia. When he 
accepted the throne of Greece he agreed that his chil- 
dren should be brought up in the religion of the 
country, but declined to change his own faith. He 
does not try to proselyte the Greeks, however, but his 
Lutheran chaplain holds services on Sunday very 
quietly in a little chapel connected with the palace. 
Protestants connected with the court have an oppor- 
tunity to attend, but outsiders are never admitted. 

The wife of the crown prince and the future queen 
of Greece, is the Princess Sophia, a sister of the 
Kaiser of Germany. When the latter consented to 
her marriage it was with the understanding that she 
should not be required to renounce Protestantism, 
although it was stipulated that her children were to 
be educated in the Greek faith. Two years ago, how- 
ever, she voluntarily left the Lutheran Church and was 
baptized in the Greek communion. Her august 
brother was furious and did not hesitate to censure his 
sister openly for renouncing the religion of her 
fathers. Nor* has he forgiven her. She has not been 
in Germany since, and it is the general understanding 
that she has not been invited. No Protestant mis- 
sionary work is now done in Greece, although there 



352 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

are several Protestant churches in different parts of 
the country, and two in Athens. 

Everyone who knows the facts testifies that the 
priests of the Greek Church are useful, morally and 
spiritually, but there are altogether too many of them. 
According to the census of 1889 there were over eight 
thousand priests for a population of 2,187,208, and 
the number has rapidly increased since that date, so 
that the ratio is even larger. There are probably ten 
thousand priests and monks in Greece to-day, while 
the membership of the Greek church is 2,138,609. A 
slight calculation will show you that this is an average 
of about one priest to every two hundred souls, so that 
the clerical profession, like all others, is suffering 
from an oversupply, and the people are required to 
support it. There are one hundred and seventy mon- 
asteries with over nineteen hundred monks, and nine 
nunneries with two hundred and twenty nuns. The 
head of the church is called the Metropolitan, who is 
elected by the Holy Synod, composed of twenty-one 
archbishops and twenty-nine bishops; and all these 
have to be supported by the taxpayers. Nominally 
the church is under the care of the Patriarch of Con- 
stantinople, but while his jurisdiction is never 
questioned in theory, he does not attempt to exercise 
more than formal ecclesiastical authority. The com- 
pensation of the clergy is insignificant. The Metro- 
politan receives only ;^I20 a month and the bishops 
only ;^50. In Athens the most prominent of the 
parish clergy do not receive more than 1^500 a year, 
while country parsons are obliged to subsist upon a 
mere pittance, many of them being paid only in the 
produce of the farms of their parishes. The monks 
belong to orders which own property, and are, there- 



MODERN ATHENS 353 

fore, much better off. For these reasons the regular 
clergy in the country are compelled to earn a living 
like their parishioners. 

The priests in the Greek Church are allowed to 
marry. Most of them have large families, and accord- 
ing to the customs of the country it is the rule for the 
sons to follow in the profession of their father. As 
they cannot marry a second wife under the canon law, 
they imitate Dr. Primrose, and take good care of their 
first. It is the uniform testimony of people familiar with 
the facts that the country parsons of Greece as a rule are 
honorable, sincere and well-meaning men, living lives 
of self-sacrifice and comforting those who are worse off 
than themselves. The Greek priests wear their hair 
and beards long in imitation of the Saviour. The 
ecclesiastical dress is a frock similar to that of the 
Roman Catholic priests, which reaches to the heels, 
and a black chimney-pot hat without a brim. Some- 
times a veil is worn, falling over the shoulders. They 
are generally men of fine appearance and excellent 
manners. There are even more chapels than priests, 
because every village must have a church or a chapel, 
and sometimes villages are deserted. The inhabitants, 
for some reason or another, remove to another loca- 
tion, but the chapel must stand. The peasants natu- 
rally have a deep religious sentiment, mingled with 
superstition, and, as in the days of St. Paul, worship 
unknown gods. They are strong believers in the 
miraculous also, and consequently there are several 
miracle-working images of the Holy Virgin and certain 
saints. 

The patriotism of the Greeks is proverbial, and 
evidences of the munificence of the prosperous chil- 
dren of this classic country are on every side. I do 



354 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

not know of any other city or any other land of similar 
population which shows so many public buildings and 
benevolent institutions founded by private individuals. 
Most of the fortunes have been made abroad. Greece 
is not a money-making country. The opportunities 
for gaining wealth are limited. Agriculture is still in 
a primitive condition; there is comparatively little man- 
ufacturing; the mining resources are insignificant, and 
the commerce and mercantile trade can never amount 
to much because of the meager population. There- 
fore, Greeks who are ambitious for wealth go else- 
where. They are a migrating race. There are Greek 
communities in every important city of the world, and 
they use the same methods, practice the same economy 
and show the same skill in trade as the Jews. It is a 
proverb that one Greek is as good as two Jews in a 
bargain. They often begin in a small way, peddling 
fruit, knickknacks and other trifles, but gradually 
extend their commercial horizons until many of them 
become mercantile princes. You find them in London, 
Paris, St. Petersburg, Vienna and especially in Con- 
stantinople, where nearly one-third of the population 
is Greek, and the richest residents belong to that race. 
Throughout Syria, Egypt and along the coast of Africa 
the larger share of the mercantile business is in the 
hands of Greeks. In the Black Sea country they 
monopolize the grain trade, and throughout the East, 
from Italy to Egypt and as far north as Budapest and 
Odessa they practically control commercial affairs. 

Greece has no naturalization treaties. Like Russia, 
the government never releases its subjects from their 
obligations — once a Greek, always a Greek. Any 
naturalized Greek citizen of the United States who 
returns to his native country may be impressed into 



MODERN ATHENS 355 

the army without ceremony if he did not serve his 
term before he left the country. The same rule 
applies to the Greek residents of England, France and 
all other countries. Hence the chief business of the 
United States minister at Athens is to help our natu- 
ralized Greeks out of trouble. 

Many Greeks are found in South America also, and 
in the Transvaal and other parts of South Africa. 
During the Boer War several Greeks had important 
contracts for furnishing supplies to the British govern- 
ment and made more money during the troubles than 
they did while the country was at peace. In the 
Argentine Republic are several important Greek 
families. In fact, wherever they go they make 
money, and it is the ambition of every Greek to 
return to Athens and live among his own people. 
The long streets of fine mansions and other evidences 
of wealth and luxury demonstrate that many have been 
able to do so. 

There are many reasons for the working classes as 
well as the tradesmen to emigrate. Wages are low, 
although laborers are scarce, and particularly 
mechanics. The earnings of those who remain in the 
country have not improved since the war with Turkey, 
but are lower than before because wages are paid in 
a depreciated paper currency worth not more than 
sixty per cent of its former value. The wages of ordi- 
nary laborers run from twenty to fifty cents a day, and 
those of skilled mechanics from fifty to eighty cents a 
day. The law which requires military service of every 
citizen drives a good many young men from the 
country, for it compels them to waste the best years 
of their life. There is no reason why Greece should 
have an army. If she had none she would be much 



356 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

better off. Her military history is not at all flat- 
tering, and during the late war with Turkey it was 
clearly demonstrated that the people had neither 
military skill nor courage. If the parliament would 
abolish the army and navy, leaving just enough 
soldiers to preserve the peace, and rest entirely upon 
the protection of the great Powers of Europe, it would 
be a blessing to the people and relieve them from an 
enormous burden of taxation. Many thousand able- 
bodied young men would be released from a military 
servitude which not only keeps them from the fields 
and factories, but unfits them for labor after their 
term of duty has expired. It would also remove from 
the sons of the upper classes a temptation which often 
proves fatal to success in life. Opportunities are so 
few in Greece that educated young men must seek 
employment under the government or obtain commis- 
sions in the army. Under the present system of 
politics the former can only look forward to an uncer- 
tain and an unprofitable career, while there is even 
less to encourage the ambitious in the army. The 
number of officers is so much in excess of the require- 
ments that there is nothing for them to do but to 
spend their time in the coffee-houses and in worse 
forms of dissipation. The streets of Athens and other 
cities of Greece are crowded with men in uniform, and 
if you will enter any cafe or stop at one of the many 
groups of idlers in public places you may notice that 
at least one-third and sometimes more than half of all 
those present wear the uniform of officers of high 
rank. I have been told that there is an officer for 
every three privates in the Greek army, and certainly 
that proportion exists in Athens, although it may not 
be so large in other parts of the country. 



MODERN ATHENS 357 

Most of the public institutions at Athens were 
founded and endowed by the private means of Greeks 
who have made fortunes abroad. Others have left 
large legacies directly to the government. That has 
occurred several times in the United States, but not 
often in other countries- Several men in their wills 
have left money to be applied toward the payment of 
the Greek national debt. One man, not long ago, 
who evidently feared that his money might be stolen, 
required his executors to purchase a stated amount of 
government bonds and burn them in the presence of a 
committee. Some years ago a man left two hotels to 
the Greek government. They stand on the Place de 
la Concorde, and yield a good rental, which goes into 
the public treasury. 

One of the most notable acts of patriotism is told of 
a Greek barber in the city of New York, who, dying, 
left his entire estate to the University of Athens. He 
was not an educated man, but was proud of the classic 
traditions of his country, and gave more than Carnegie 
or Rockefeller to the cause of education. The 
amount was only $150, the proceeds of the sale of the 
equipment of his barber shop, his razors, and doubtless 
the bottles of hair-tonic that ornamented its shelves, 
but it was all that he had. 

Somebody should give something for repairing 
the streets and roads. With the exception of the 
principal thoroughfares, they are very bad, and often 
impassable. 

The University of Athens was founded about 1835. 
It is conducted on the German plan. Many of the pro- 
fessors are graduates of German universities, and the 
German language is heard about the building more 
frequently than any other except Greek. The institu- 



358 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

tion has a large amount of property, 'from which it 
draws a considerable revenue, but several of the chairs 
have been handsomely endowed by private individuals. 

The National Library, which has one of the most 
beautiful modern buildings in the world, is the legacy 
of the Vallianos brothers, grain-merchants doing busi- 
ness at Odessa and the ports of the Black Sea. A 
marble statue of one of them stands in front of the 
building. 

The National Museum was given to the people by 
Mr. Averof, a cotton-merchant in Egypt, who also 
founded a military school and established a model 
reformatory for children. 

The exposition building, called the Zappeion, 
intended for temporary exhibitions of art and indus- 
try, is the gift of the Zappas brothers, grain-merchants 
in Roumania. 

The building of the Academy of Sciences, which is 
the most beautiful modern structure in Europe, and 
the Royal Observatory were erected and endowed by 
Baron Sina, a Greek banker in Vienna. 

The Arsakion, a college for young women, was 
founded and richly endowed by Mr. Arsakis, a Greek 
merchant in Vienna. The Varvakion, a manual training- 
school and gymnasium for boys, was founded by Mr. 
Varvakes, a raisin merchant. The Polytechnic Insti- 
tute was the gift of Mr. Metzorios, a merchant of 
Epirus. The Aretesian, a surgical institute, was founded 
by Dr. Areteas, a poor boy, who became an eminent 
surgeon and left 1,000,000 francs for the institution. 
Dr. Anagnostokes, another eminent surgeon, founded a 
hospital for eye and ear diseases. George and Mathos 
Rhizares founded a theological seminary. The late Mr. 
Syngros, a banker, built an opera-house and gave it to 



MODERN ATHENS 359 

the city; he also founded a model prison for first 
offenders, a house for impoverished women of rank, a 
home with a factory for light employment for poor 
working women, and also a home for the aged of both 
sexes. The Royal Theater was erected by a stock 
company, organized by King George, who owns three- 
fourths of the stock, and was intended to encourage 
native writers and actors. 

Queen Olga built a prison for women. The Crown 
Princess Sophia built a hospital for children and 
reorganized and reequipped in German style the mili- 
tary hospital. The ex-Queen Amalia of Bavaria 
founded a free dispensary, and Haji Costa, a Greek 
merchant in Russia, founded the orphan asylum. 

The ancient Stadium, originally built three hundred 
and thirty years before Christ by Lycurgus, the famous 
Athenian statesman, and one of the noblest, ablest 
and most practical rulers of Greece, is now being 
restored in pure white marble after the old style, by 
the generosity of the late George Averof, a Greek 
merchant of Alexandria. His motive was the same as 
that of Lycurgus, to encourage physical culture among 
the Greeks, who are very deficient in that important 
particular. This was demonstrated at the Olympian 
games, which took place here in 1896. Every event 
with one exception was captured by strangers. The 
one exception was the long distance race, twenty-five 
miles, from the mound at Marathon to the Stadium at 
Athens, which was won by a young Greek shepherd 
named Spiridon Louis, and as a reward, in addition to 
the prize, the government gave him a monopoly of the 
sale of water from the springs of Marousi, the favorite 
drinking-water of the Greeks. This spring is a popu- 
lar resort on the side of the Pentelikos Mountain, 



36o The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

near Tatoi, the summer residence of the king. There 
is a large sale of the water in Athens, and it is brought 
in fresh from the spring every morning in sheep-skins 
and in large earthen jars. Louis, the runner, is doing 
a good business, and has increased the demand by- 
representing that its use gave him the strength and 
speed which won the Marathon race. 

The representatives of American colleges who 
appeared in the games of 1896 acquitted themselves 
with distinguished honor and carried off their share of 
the prizes. One of the remarkable incidents was the 
capture by Robert Garrett of Baltimore, then of 
Princeton University, of the prize for discus-throwing, 
a classic Greek game. Mr. Garrett had never seen a 
discus until his arrival in Athens, but outplayed the 
Greeks in their own game on their own field. 

The new Stadium will be a beautiful structure of 
marble, six hundred and seventy feet long and one 
hundred and nine feet broad, with sixty rows of seats 
of pure white marble, rising one upon the other and 
accommodating thirty thousand spectators. It is an 
ideal place for football and similar athletics, and when 
finished will surpass every other field for sports in 
ancient or modern times. The cost is comparatively 
small in Greece, because the extensive quarries of 
Pentelikos yield their marble treasures for only the 
cost of cutting and transportation, and no doubt Mr. 
Averof's munificence will inspire an ambition among 
his countrymen to develop their physical as well as 
their intellectual qualities. 

A shrine of history in which all lovers of liberty 
feel an interest is the little town of Mesolongion, in 
the western part of the kingdom, where, during the 
revolution against the Turks in 1823, Marco Bozzaris 



MODERN ATHENS 361 

gained immortality. He is buried under an insignifi- 
cant monument near a military hospital, and near by 
is a tomb containing the heart of Lord Byron, who 
died there. His body was conveyed to England. A 
monument was erected to Byron at Mesolongion in 
1881, and a beautiful group in marble, representing 
him protecting a beautiful female, symbolizing Greece, 
from a ferocious barbarian, signifying Turkey, has 
recently been placed in one of the parks of Athens. 

The connection of Lord Byron with the emancipa- 
tion of Greece was more sentimental than otherwise. 
It is true that during the war for liberty he offered his 
services to the Greek patriots and brought them 
several thousand dollars of his own money, which was 
sadly needed by the revolutionary leaders. He 
loaned £4,000 toward the equipment of a Greek fleet, 
and assisted the patriots to borrow money in London, 
where he did much to awaken sympathy for the 
gallant struggle they were making against the Turks. 
He enlisted a company of adventurers and drilled 
them at Mesolongion for several months, but they 
made endless trouble, and he was finally compelled to 
pay them large sums of money and send them away. 
It was a motley gang of desperadoes, composed of 
Englishmen, Scotsmen, Irishmen, Americans, Swedes, 
Norwegians, Germans, Swiss, Belgians, Russians, 
Poles, Austrians, Hungarians, Danes, Italians, French- 
men, Servians, Bulgarians and representatives of every 
other race and nation who were attracted to him by 
popular rumors that he had large sums of money to 
expend in the cause of Grecian liberty. But his plans 
were impracticable. It was a case of poetic genius 
and not military skill; but Byron died a hero. It 
redeemed his reputation, however, and there is no 



362 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

doubt that during the few weeks preceding his death 
he lived upon a sixpence a day, as his biographers 
claim, for he had stripped himself of every farthing 
and had forfeited all claims upon his friends in behalf 
of the Greek cause. His name will always be 
cherished by the Greeks. 

"The Maid of Athens," to whom Byron addressed 
the charming love-song with which we are all familiar, 
is said to have been Miss Theresa Macri, daughter of 
the English vice-consul, with whom he fell desperately 
in love while he was a guest of her father during his 
first visit to Greece in 1809. He was just twenty-one 
years old and was still unknown to fame, having 
published only his first volume of poems. He lived 
with the family for several months and wanted to 
marry the daughter, but her father seems to have been 
a sensible man and refused his consent. Byron 
returned to England, married Miss Milbanke, sep- 
arated from her a few months later and left England 
forever. The next year he met the Countess Guicciolo 
at Venice and lived with her, without the formality of 
a marriage for seven years, until he went to Greece, 
where her father Count Gamba, accompanied him and 
remained with him until his death. 

Some writers have asserted that ancient Greece had 
a population of at least 10,000,000. Some antiquarians 
estimate it at 20,000,000, and that Athens, at the age 
of Pericles, had a population of 750,000. Now it has 
117,000. But the best authorities believe that neither 
Athens nor Greece ever had a greater population than 
now. It is certainly true that the number of inhabit- 
ants gradually diminished during the Turkish tyranny 
until, at the outbreak of the revolution in 1821, there 
were only 766,747 people in Greece. After the revo- 



MODERN ATHENS 363 

lution the population began to increase gradually until 
in 1890 it had passed two millions, more than three 
times the number when the present government was 
formed, notwithstanding the large emigration. The 
natural increase is about 2.4 per cent per year, very 
nearly the same as that of the United States. 
Seventy-eight per cent of the population live in the 
country and twenty-two per cent in the towns. A 
good many of the so-called towns are small villages of 
farmers. It is the custom in Greece for the people to 
live in communities and go to their farms every 
morning. This practice was necessary for mutual 
protection in the days of the Turks. You see few 
detached farmhouses, and few country-seats, although 
the number is rapidly increasing, now that brigandage 
is extinct. As a rule, however, even now, travelers 
find the farmhouses in clusters, and the farmers going 
out to their work every morning with a lunch of bread 
and olives in their pockets. 

Nearly all the land- that is capable of raising crops 
is under cultivation, but the methods are very primi- 
tive, and it does not produce anything like the crops 
that ought to come from such soil. The government 
has recently instituted a general movement for agri- 
cultural education, and has established schools in all 
the provinces, at which the science of farming is 
taught — only the rudiments at present, because the 
Greeks are very conservative, and the wise men who 
are at the head of this movement know better than to 
go too rapidly. The farms average about ten acres in 
extent, the great majority-of them being less than two. 
They are cultivated entirely by hand, and with home- 
made implements. The soil is plowed with a crooked 
stick, similar to that used by the Egyptians in the days 



364 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

of Moses, and the grain is thrashed with the hoofs of 
animals trampling upon it. Near by every community 
can be seen a circular platform paved with stone, 
often with a post in the center. When the harvest 
comes the grain will be spread upon the surface, and 
three or four animals will be hitched to the post and 
driven round and round until they have trampled the 
kernels out of the husks. Greece does not grow 
enough food for her own consumption. At least sixty 
per cent of the meat, vegetables and grain consumed 
annually are imported, which is entirely unnecessary 
and a direct loss to the people, because the trans- 
portation has to be paid for, and so much more comes 
out of the pockets of the laboring classes. 

On a few large estates the land is worked on shares, 
the peasants taking two-thirds of the produce, and 
giving the other third in lieu of the rental, the land- 
lord sharing the losses, as well as the profits, when they 
occur. Olive groves are often managed on this plan, 
and it is generally satisfactory. 

Although square miles of land are lying idle, it is a 
singular fact that the fields in the neighborhood of 
Athens do not produce enough vegetables to supply 
the local market. Nobody seems to know exactly 
why, although there is a general disposition to 
attribute the phenomenon to the natural character- 
istics of the people and to say that the Greeks are 
poor gardeners. The king sets a good example. He 
has an estate and country-house about fifteen miles 
from Athens, and several thousand acres of land 
under a high state of cultivation. It is a sort of 
experimental farm in more senses than one, at which 
he not only shows what can be done, but how to do it, 
and the advantages of intelligent farming. He has 



MODERN ATHENS 365 

the best live stock in Greece, the most improved 
machinery, the best breeds of cattle, horses, sheep, 
swine and poultry, and he sells milk, vegetables and 
other farm-produce in the local market, as Victoria of 
England used to do on the Isle of Wight. 

This example has done some good. It has made 
farming respectable, although the Greeks have not 
followed the fashion to any great extent. In fact, I 
could not learn of any native of wealth or influence 
who has imitated His Majesty and gone into the gar- 
den-truck business. In another direction the king has 
done great good. He furnishes seeds to all farmers 
who will apply for them, and applications are frequent. 
He has also done a good deal to improve the breeds 
of live stock and poultry, although the horses and 
cattle of Greece are comparatively poor. The sheep 
are much better. 

Dairy farming is limited. More goat's milk is sold 
than cow's milk. The natives use comparatively little 
butter. The Greek butter must be used promptly, 
because it has a coarse grain and will not keep. It 
looks like "smear-kase" and tastes more like whipped 
cream than anything else. Cow's milk cannot be 
obtained outside of the large cities, and even there it 
is scarce and expensive. Nearly all Greeks use goat's 
milk. Both goats and cows are driven into town every 
morning and milked at the doors of the customers. 
This is not a new fashion, but, like nearly all the 
customs of the people, can be traced back through 
many centuries. The herdsman, shuffling through the 
streets with milk-measure in his hand, behind a herd 
of seven or eight solemn-looking goats, was probably 
as familiar to the ancients as he is to the Athenians of 
to-day, and, viewed in all its aspects, it is an excellent 



366 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

proposition, because all the customers along his 
route are sure to get their milk fresh and pure, and 
the goat-herd's honesty is not tempted by the con- 
venience of the pump. When he reaches the house of 
a customer he milks one of the goats into his measure 
and pours the contents into a bucket or the bowl that 
is brought for him. Some of the milkmen come in 
with a pair of cans strapped over the back of a donkey. 

As in South America, you can buy turkeys and 
geese "on the hoof." They are driven in from the 
country in flocks, so that customers may make selec- 
tions as they pass through the streets. Everything 
else is peddled, not only food in the form of fruits, 
meats, cakes, bread, vegetables, fish, butter and 
cheese, but all sorts of dry goods and notions, shoes, 
stockings and even hats, tinware, hardware, station- 
ery; sometimes on a tray suspended from the neck of a 
man, sometimes on a cart, but oftener upon the back 
of a donkey. You can frequently see in the streets 
show-cases with glass fronts containing all kinds of 
dry goods suspended from pack-saddles of donkeys 
and transported from house to house, while the owner 
or attendant bellows an inventory of his merchandise 
and describes its merits in a brazen voice. There 
are, however, several fine shops in Athens. Those in 
the new quarter of the city will compare with the best 
in our towns of the same size. 

Other reli-cs of ancient times are public cook-shops, 
found in the oldest quarter of the city, similar to those 
of Naples, where a variety of viands are prepared at 
the regular meal-hours and sold already cooked at the 
most extraordinarily low prices. Housewives go there 
for their supplies instead of to the market. It saves 
fuel and labor and nothing is wasted. This custom is 



MODERN ATHENS 367 

said to have come down from the classic period before 
the Christian era, and then, as now, professional 
cooks used to go about the town with stoves on wheels, 
filled with bright fires of charcoal, over which persons 
who had no stoves or ranges in their houses could cook 
their meats or vegetables for a small fee. It is 
common to see a peripatetic cook standing in front of 
a prosperous-looking residence, while the soft and 
genial atmosphere is filled with the odor of frying fish 
or roasted rabbit. 

Foreigners are always shocked at the sight of a 
Greek funeral. It is a spectacle which most people 
desire to avoid, because the body of the dead is 
exposed in an open hearse. The cofifin is shallow, so 
that not only the face and head but the hands and 
much of the body can be distinctly seen from the 
sidewalk as the procession passes through the streets. 
The lid of the coffin, richly upholstered and often 
decorated with garlands and wreaths, is carried on the 
hearse by the undertaker. The priest, the relatives 
and other mourners follow, and as the ghastly spec- 
tacle passes it is customary for bystanders to remove 
their hats and cross themselves. Men sitting around 
the cafes always rise out of respect for the dead and 
stand bareheaded until the procession has passed. In 
case of an officer of the army, a horse with an empty 
saddle, heavily draped with crape, is led by an orderly 
in advance of the hearse. 

When the body is lowered to the grave the coffin-lid 
is placed upon it, but does not close down, and the 
earth is allowed to come in direct contact, to hasten 
decay. The superstition in the popular mind is that 
the soul of the departed is in a state of suspense until 
the temple it formerly inhabited has turned to dust. 



368 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

Graves are rented in the Athens cemeteries for terms 
of years, just like the habitations of the living. None 
but the rich own burial lots. It is an evidence of 
wealth and aristocracy. The poor never think of 
buying a lot or a tomb. It would be considered an 
unnecessary luxury. At the end of the term for which 
a grave is rented the bones are dug up, put into a bag, 
labeled with the name and dates, and deposited in a 
general receptacle. 

The custom of carrying the body to the grave in the 
full sight of the people is said to have originated 
during the Turkish occupation of Greece. The 
country was in a state of chronic revolution. The 
importation of arms and ammunition was forbidden, 
and the revolutionists were in the habit of importing 
them in coffins. Frequently people who were 
"wanted" by the police were assisted to escape in a 
similar manner, and revolutionary leaders who had 
been banished were brought back in coffins. There- 
fore, as a precaution, the Turks required that dead 
bodies should be exposed. 



XVII 

SHRINES AND TEMPLES 

The Acropolis of Athens is the most famous hill in 
the universe. The columns of the Parthenon are 
familiar to all the world. They are the remains of the 
most majestic monument ever erected by human 
hands, and did it ever occur to you that it was 
intended for the honor and the worship of a woman? 
The lord mayor of an Irish city, in accepting the 
honor of an election, declared that if it had not been 
for his mother he would not have stood before his 
constituents that day. We might all pay a similar 
tribute to Eve, yet no monument has ever been 
erected to her memory, and the place of her burial 
has been forgotten, if anybody ever knew where it 
was. Three graves of Adam are pointed out to 
tourists in the East, but not even one of Eve. 

We estimate the Greeks of the age of Pericles as 
having reached the highest degree of development in 
intellect, philosophy and wisdom. We teach our 
children their precepts. Our students of medicine, 
art, science and theology must study them in prepara- 
tion for their life-work. It is a popular belief that the 
summit of human culture was reached at the period of 
the building of the Parthenon. Yet the ancient Greeks 
believed that the source of their learning, wisdom and 
strength was a woman, and to her they raised that 
matchless tribute, the admiration of all ages, the most 
perfect example of architecture ever conceived, and in 
it they not only worshiped a woman, Athena, but 

369 



370 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

made sacrifices to one whom they had deified. Its 
ruined columns stand to-day as a testimonial to woman- 
hood. An old friend used to say that the best rule he 
ever found in life was, "When in doubt, do as your 
wife tells you," and for his authority he might have 
referred to the ancient Greeks. 

The Acropolis is a mighty rock which rises five 
hundred feet in what was the center of ancient Athens, 
when that city had 200,000 population. On all sides 
but one the walls are perpendicular. Toward the west 
there is a slope by which the summit is reached by a 
winding roadway. In ancient times there was a series 
of stairways, and the Propylaea, or gateway, was as 
remarkable as the temples at the top. There was also 
a road for chariots, and we can see the ruts made by the 
wheels in the pavements. The Acropolis is visible from 
a long distance. It looms up in majesty as the city is 
approached from all directions, and the columns of the 
Parthenon are dwarfed by its height. The first effect, 
therefore, upon strangers is disappointing. The ruins 
are not as grand as they expected, and they feel a little 
sorry that they came, but familiarity breeds respect in 
this instance. The columns grow larger and grander and 
more beautiful every time you look at them, and those 
who have had the privilege of visiting the Acropolis 
by moonlight will retain an impression that cannot be 
effaced from their memory by anything else that may 
remain for their enjoyment. Age and the salt air 
from the sea have given the marble a rusty color, 
which detracts from its purity, but gives it a tone of 
richness and ripeness entirely appropriate to a ruin. 
You would not like to see a ruin of pure white marble. 
It would look incongruous, although you can imagine 
how beautiful the Parthenon and the surrounding 



SHRINES AND TEMPLES 371 

buildings must have been when they were fresh and 
new. 

The temple to Athena (Minerva) and the surround- 
ing buildings were destroyed when the Venetians 
bombarded Athens to drive out the Turks. The latter, 
who held the city, intrenched themselves on the Acrop- 
olis and concealed their store of powder in the 
Parthenon. The Acropolis, therefore, became the 
target for the Venetian artillerymen, and on Friday, 
September 26, 1687, a German lieutenant fired a bomb 
which fell into the magazine and was followed by an 
explosion which destroyed forever the most glorious 
architectural triumph ot men. Three hundred Turkish 
soldiers lost their lives in the explosion and their 
commander, having no ammunition, was compelled to 
surrender three days later. No attempt was ever 
made to restore the building. On the contrary, the 
Acropolis has been plundered century after century 
for building-material, and for works of art. Some of 
the finest of the marbles were burned to make lime for 
the masonry in building modern Athens, and Lord 
Elgin, the British minister to Greece, in the earlier 
part of the last century, removed the most beautiful 
and valuable of the sculptures, which are now exhib- 
ited in the British Museum, under the name of "The 
Elgin Marbles." Within late years much care has 
been taken in protecting and preserving the treasures 
that remain, and the Grecian government is exceed- 
ingly anxious to recover the works of art which have 
been taken from the Acropolis to foreign lands. On 
several occasions during the last half-century overtures 
have been made to the British government to restore 
the Elgin marbles, but they have met with no favor- 
able response. Mr. Gladstone gave the Ionian Islands 



372 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

back to Greece when he was prime minister and 
received the gratitude of a nation. The Athenians 
would be equally grateful if King Edward would 
return to them the sculptures which once decorated 
the temple of Minerva, and were taken away with the 
authority of the Turkish government, and not with the 
consent of Greece. 

It is difficult to avoid moralizing about the Acrop- 
olis. I do not know of any other place on earth, 
unless it be Bethlehem, Jerusalem, or St. Peter's at 
Rome, or Westminster Abbey in London, which fur- 
nishes such food for thought. The columns of the 
Parthenon are older than anything in Rome except 
the obelisk in the center of the Piazza del Popolo, and 
older than anything in London except a similar obelisk 
that stands on the Thames embankment. Both of 
those were transplanted from the soil in which the 
Pharaohs originally erected them, to show how Chris- 
tian nations sometimes despoil the heathen. It is an 
old trick. Rome is filled with objects of art of which 
her emperors robbed the Athenians. The Parthenon has 
had a varied experience. It was first a temple to the 
Goddess of Wisdom; for several hundred years it was 
a church for the worship of a Jewish peasant; and at 
the time of its destruction it had been for centuries a 
mosque dedicated to a camel-driver. 

The most important incident that has occurred upon 
the Acropolis in recent times, and it has a personal 
interest for us, was the discovery in 1900 by Mr. 
Eugene P. Andrews of Oswego, New York, then a 
student at the American School of Classical Studies 
and now an instructor at Cornell University, of an 
inscription to Nero upon the architrave of the Parthe- 
non, which had been unknown for a dozen centuries. 



SHRINES AND TEMPLES 373 

It was a great achievement, one of the most notable 
events in modern archeology. He thought that 
certain small holes in the marble must have served 
some useful purpose, and so he let himself down from 
the top by a rope ladder similar to those that sailors 
use, and discovered that they had once been occupied 
by nails which supported brass letters. By taking a 
series of impressions with damp wrapping-paper, he 
secured a diagram, from which he was able to trace 
the Greek letters, and the inscription, which had 
never been suspected, was announced to the scholars 
of the world by Professor Richardson, the director of 
the American school. 

The American Archeological Institute has a school 
in Athens similar to that in Rome, which was founded 
several years later. The object is to furnish American 
scholars an opportunity to study art, archeology, 
ancient history, literature and the classic languages 
upon the ground and in the atmosphere in which they 
were developed. 

He who would the poet understand 

Must read' him in the poet's land. 

I may not have the quotation exact, but that is the 
idea. In addition to the branches of study I have 
named, the students hear lectures on Greek law, reli- 
gion, philosophy and upon all subjects dealing with the 
institutions, the social life and the industrial activity of 
the ancients. They are conducted about the country 
to various points of historic and archeological inter- 
est, such as Thebes, Delphi, Olympia, Mycenae, 
Sparta and Thessaly, and are allowed to tread in the 
footsteps of the old philosophers. They hear lectures 
in the museums, which are illustrated by object- 
lessons. The museums of Athens are particularly 



374 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

rich in relics of the archaic period of Greece — before 
the Persian war, 480 B.C. — and the director gives that 
branch his special attention. Other members of the 
faculty lecture on history, poetry, politics and kindred 
subjects. The students also have the advantage of 
similar institutions founded by the English, French, 
German and Austrian governments. All the national 
schools of archeology are affiliated, and each has its 
special line of investigation, selected after a consulta- 
tion, in order that they may not interfere with or 
duplicate the work of each other. The American 
school is the strongest of all, the French next, then 
the German, and last the English. The German school, 
however, is particularly fortunate in having for its 
director Dr. Doerpfeld, who succeeded Dr. Schliemann 
in the archeological work at Troy. The students of 
one school are admitted to the lectures of the others 
and also have the use of their libraries. Most of them 
are fitting themselves for instructors in Greek and 
archeology, and nearly all of the graduates since the 
school was founded in 1882 now occupy chairs in the 
faculties of American colleges and universities. 

The present director is Professor Richardson, who 
was graduated from Yale in the class of '69, and was 
for a long time professor of Greek language and liter- 
ature at Dartmouth College. He has been at Athens 
since 1893. Each year an assistant is selected from 
one of the contributing colleges. Professor Thomas 
Day Seymour, of Yale, was chairman of the Managing 
Committee of the school for fourteen years, but 
recently has been succeeded by Professor Wheeler, of 
Columbia. Part of its income is precarious, consisting 
of contributions from various colleges and private 
individuals, and if they should withdraw it would 



SHRINES AND TEMPLES 375 

leave the institution without funds. There ought to 
be a larger endowment, so as to secure permanency. 
At present the endowment amounts to about 1^65,000. 
The society owns a fine building, well adapted to its 
purposes, and a considerable area of ground which 
may be found available in the future. Among the 
most generous donors for excavations is Colonel Hay, 
secretary of state, who has recently placed a consider- 
able sum of money in the hands of the trustees, to be 
used as a foundation for the library in memory of his 
son, the late Adelbert Stone Hay. There is no limit 
to the number of students. Anyone is received who 
has had a thorough classical training at an American 
college. It is important that applicants should gain 
as great command as possible of the German, French 
and modern Greek languages before entering the 
school in order that they may enjoy the full benefit of 
their opportunities. The tuition fee is nominal, and 
the cost of living at Athens is anything that one may 
choose to make it. At the large hotels board and 
lodging can be obtained for $14 a week and upward, 
and at the smaller hotels and in private families, from 
$^ and upward. Six fellowships with stipends of 
i^6oo each, and one with a stipend of $1,000, will be 
awarded annually, upon competitive examination, to 
bachelors of art of the universities and colleges of the 
United States, and may be extended for two years, 
upon the recommendation of the faculty, to students in 
the Schools of Classical Studies at Athens and in 
Rome, and in the School of Oriental Study in Palestine 
— all under the general care of the Archeological Insti- 
tute of America. 

The fellows are required to pursue original investi- 
gations and twice a year to report the results. 



376 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

Everyone can appreciate the advantages offered by 
the American school to those who are seeking a career 
as scholars or instructors. It gives a vitality to their 
learning which they cannot get in books, and the 
same books read in Greece are much more luminous 
than in the class-rooms at home. The original work 
done by the students is also of great importance to 
them, and it is gratifying to know that this institution 
has taken the lead and is recognized as the most 
important among the several national colleges at 
Athens. The Greek government is liberal in its 
encouragement and the king feels a deep interest in 
all its concerns. 

Original work has been going on since 1886, and the 
results of the excavations may be seen in the National 
Museum, at the Argive Heraeum, at Athens, and in a 
volume soon to be published by Professor Waldstein, 
now lecturer at King's College, Cambridge, who was 
the director for some years. Some of the most inter- 
esting of the explorations have been at Icaria, the first 
seat of the worship of Bacchus, and the home of 
Thespis, the inventor of the theater. He was the first 
man to present a play to the public. There had been 
recitations and declamations upon the platform before 
his time, but he introduced dialogues and plots, and 
invented the mask so that one man-actor could take 
two parts. Women never appeared on the stage in 
those days. The feminine parts were always taken by 
men. The director of the American school discovered 
the original home of Thespis and it was excavated 
under his direction. The Americans were not allowed, 
however, to take anything away. Under the laws of 
Greece the finder is protected in publishing reports 
of his discoveries, and may receive the honor and the 



SHRINES AND TEMPLES 



Z11 



credit, but the tangible results are the property of the 
government or of the owner of the land, who, how- 
ever, to retain them, must erect a museum upon the 
ground for their public exhibition. 

The American School has done a good deal of work 
at Plataea, the scene of a great battle between the 
Greeks and the Persians in 479 B.C., but found little 
of value. The excavations were more successful at 
Eretria, at one time an important city, which was 
destroyed by the Persians before the battle of Mara- 
thon. Here they uncovered a theater, a temple to 
Bacchus, a fine lot of baths, and the most perfect gym- 
nasium that has ever been found. 

Near Argos the American School, under Dr. Wald- 
stein, discovered and excavated the ruins of a 
magnificent temple of Hera, which was destroyed in 
the year 423 B.C., when one of the priestesses went to 
sleep without blowing out her candle; the decorations 
caught fire and the temple was burned. This was a 
rich find, for, in addition to the temple, they uncovered 
several other buildings of interest, and brought to the 
National Museum at Athens a number of valuable 
statues and a large quantity of bronze and terra-cotta 
work. 

The excavations of the American students at Corinth 
I have referred to in a previous chapter. They 
began work there in 1896, and will continue in a sys- 
tematic manner until the old city is entirely uncovered 
and opened to the public, as Pompeii is to-day. Old 
Corinth was a very populous city, larger than Athens, 
and, at the height of its glory in 325 B.C., had a pop- 
ulation of nearly 200,000, with many magnificent 
structures, which suffered from earthquakes, and were 
plundered and destroyed by the Romans and other 



378 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

invaders. Julius Caesar rebuilt a portion of the old 
city, but it was again destroyed by his successors, and 
finally disappeared and was covered from the sight of 
men by the drifting sands. The American School has 
purchased part of the site, and, with the encourage- 
ment of the Greek government, is working as rapidly 
as its funds will permit; but is entirely dependent, as 
I have said, upon the generosity of private supporters. 
The German Institute receives $5,000 a year from its 
government for excavations; the French have an even 
larger allowance, and the English are spending large 
sums. The American explorers alone lack funds, yet 
from them the most important results are expected. 

Mars Hill, from which Paul delivered the eloquent 
address of which we have an account in Chapter xvii 
of the Acts of the Apostles, beginning, "Ye men of 
Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are very 
religious" — not "too superstitious," as the old version 
has it — stands across a little gully from the Acropolis 
at Athens. It was then occupied by the Athenian 
courts, called the Areopagus, and the learned men, 
lawyers, philosophers, teachers and orators of the city 
metthereevery day to exchange ideas and talk politics. 
The ancient court of the Areopagus, composed of the 
most venerable and eminent Athenians, and exercising 
supreme jurisdiction in certain cases involving life, 
sat there regularly to hear arguments and announce 
their decisions. The hill is said to have derived its 
name from the fact that Ares, or Mars, was the first 
person tried there for murder. It was there also that 
Orestes was arraigned and acquitted of criminal 
responsibility for the murder of his mother, Clytem- 
nestra. Many other famous trials took place upon the 
hill. Lawyers were never allowed to appear before an 



,'V 



SHRINES AND TEMPLES 379 

Athenian court, still less the Areopagus. Every man 
had to plead his own case. 

St. Paul appeared upon the Areopagus five hundred 
and twenty years after the birth of Socrates and three 
hundred and seventy years after the death of Demos- 
thenes, but Greece was still filled with learned men. 
Upon its stage the masterpieces of Aeschylus, 
Sophocles, Euripides and Aristophanes were first pre- 
sented to the public. 

Phaleron, the summer-resort of the Athenians upon 
the bay, where there are several hotels and bathing 
establishments and a little villa for the pleasure of the 
royal family, is the place where Demosthenes used to 
go to practice speaking. It was there, according to 
the legend, that he picked up pebbles and put them 
under his tongue to prevent him from stammering. 

Near by are two tombs hewn in the living rock, 
accessible at low tide but often submerged by the 
sea. One of them is popularly believed to be the 
tomb of Themistocles, one of the greatest men of 
ancient Greece, who persuaded his fellow citizens to 
devote the proceeds of the silver mine of Laurion to 
the construction of a naval fleet, which made Athens 
for a time preeminent upon the sea. But this fleet 
did not last very long, and Athens absolutely had her 
ships taken from her at the close of the fifth cen- 
tury B.C. 

Across the bay is the island of Salamis, the scene of 
one of the most famous sea battles in all history, 
when Xerxes, King of Persia, witnessed the destruc- 
tion of his fleet of one thousand vessels from a rocky 
promontory which projects into the bay. The point is 
called "the throne of Xerxes." ^The poet Aeschylus 
was on one of the ships and distinguished himself in 



38o The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

the battle. Eight years later, in March, 472, his 
tragedy, based upon it, was performed in the theater 
of Dionysius at Athens. 

Socrates was born in Athens in the year 469 B.C. 
He was originally a sculptor, but abandoned art and 
became an astrologer. He afterwards taught in the 
market-place, surrounded by his students and disciples, 
and it was to them that he delivered the opinions 
which brought him into collision with the authorities, 
and particularly the priests. The trial of Socrates was 
similar to that of Christ. Both were accused of sedi- 
tion, of denying the gods, of introducing a new 
religion, of corrupting the minds of the youth and 
disturbing the tranquillity of the people. Socrates was 
arraigned for this crime before the courts, as Christ was 
before the Sanhedrin. Both admitted the truth of the 
charge, while they denied the criminality. The 
answer of Socrates to his accusers was almost the 
same as that of Jesus before Pilate, four hundred years 
later. He was convicted, however, and condemned to 
die. Owing to a superstition about putting men to 
death during a festival, the execution of his sentence 
was postponed, and in the meantime he drank his cup 
of hemlock juice. Near the Areopagus are two 
chambers about sixteen feet square, hewn in the side 
of a rocky cliff. They are divided by a partition with 
a narrow door and are protected by gratings of iron 
bars, like the cage of a wild beast. The guide-book 
calls them "the prison of Socrates," and it is gen- 
erally understood among the people that he was 
imprisoned and died there, but there is no evidence to 
sustain such a supposition. 

Demosthenes had a country home on the other side 
of Mount Hymettus, which is as famous for its honey 



SHRINES AND TEMPLES 381 

to-day as it was two thousand years ago. The wild 
flowers that grow in the soil of that mountain contain an 
unusual amount of saccharine and give a flavor to the 
honey which is not found in that made elsewhere. 
The ancient Greeks considered it a great luxury, and 
it still sustains its reputation and is sold to-day in all 
the markets of Europe for high prices. Tourists buy 
it at the hotels and curiosity-shops of Athens. 

Demosthenes was the son of a rich furniture-dealer, 
and was a statesman, lawyer, orator and patriot. He 
lived nearly a century after Socrates, and in the year 
322 B.C., when the Macedonians secured control of the 
government, fled from Athens across the sea into the 
Peloponnesus. There he was followed by an ofificer 
of the police with a warrant for his arrest. Demos- 
thenes was prepared for him and received him in the 
temple of Poseidon in Calauria. Rather than suffer 
the humiliation of trial and imprisonment, he decided 
to take his own life. Suspecting such an intention, 
the authorities ordered the police officials to take pre- 
cautions to prevent suicide, and they watched him very 
closely. After the arrest was made Demosthenes 
asked the officers to allow him to write a note to his 
family, and sat down at his desk to do so. It was 
noticed that he frequently moistened the tip of his pen 
with his lips, and when the note was finished he fell 
lifeless from his seat. The ink had been poisoned. 

The field of Marathon, where the great battle with 
the Persians was fought in 490 B.C., about twenty-five 
miles from Athens, is marked by a great mound, 
under which the bones of the slain were buried. 

Tanagra, where, in 455 B.C., the Athenians first 
measured strength and valor with the Spartans, is a 
little further north and has been one of the most 



382 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

prolific sources of satisfaction to archeologists. 
From the graves around it have come those charming 
figurines in painted terra-cotta that are so highly 
prized by collectors. The quantity of figures discov- 
ered there during the excavations has been so great 
that fine examples are now to be found in nearly every 
museum, and tourists can purchase for a small sum 
imitations largely made up of the fragments, which 
are quite as pretty as the genuine. 

West from Tanagra is Thebes, a famous old town 
founded by Cadmus, the home of Pindar, the poet, and 
Epaminondas, the soldier and statesman. It was the 
rival of Athens until Alexander the Great sacked it in 
336 B.C., when six thousand of the citizens were slain 
and thirty thousand carried away as slaves. It is now 
a sleepy little town of about twenty-five hundred inhab- 
itants who grow fruit and do other kinds of farming. 
The ruins of the ancient town are covered with rubbish 
and the topography has been considerably changed by 
earthquakes. There is no hotel, and very little to 
interest the traveler. 

From Thebes one can go west to Delphi, the seat of 
the famous oracle and the headquarters of the cult of 
Apollo, but it is a difficult and uncomfortable journey, 
requiring several days on horseback. The easier route 
is from Corinth by boat, twice a week, to a little town 
called Itea. From there to Delphi is only a ride of 
two and a half hours. The grandeur of the scenery and 
the magnificent view of Parnassos are full compensation 
for the time and fatigue, and even in these modern 
times the gorges in the mountains are filled with a 
mysterious atmosphere which must have affected the 
imagination of the ancients. The oracle was con- 
sulted, you remember, upon all affairs of importance, 



SHRINES AND TEMPLES 383 

both by the people and the state, and its influence 
was not diminished by the ambiguity of its utterances. 
The voice of the oracle came from a chasm in the 
rocks which can not be identified these days, probably 
because of earthquakes. Above the chasm the pro. 
phetic virgin sat upon a golden tripod and uttered 
responses which none but the priests could under- 
stand. Altogether the oracle was a good scheme and 
its influence was wholesome among the people. 
Solon, the great law-giver; Plato, the philosopher; 
Aeschylus, Pindar, and Sophocles all spoke of it with 
great respect. 

Modern Delphi is called Castri, and stands on part 
of the ancient site, at an altitude of twenty-one hundred 
and thirty feet above the gulf of Corinth and among 
the cliffs of Parnassos. There has been an enormous 
amount of excavating done there by the French School 
of Archeology which has been rewarded by many 
interesting and important discoveries. 

The classic mountain Parnassus, which rises eight 
thousand and seventy feet, may be comfortably 
climbed from Delphi, the ascent being made most of 
the way on horseback. Every foot of the journey is 
crowded with historic and mythical associations. 

The pass of Thermopylae, known to every school- 
boy as the place where Leonidas and his three hundred 
Spartans held the whole Persian army at bay, is thirty 
miles in a straight line directly north from Delphi, on 
the other side of Parnassus, but nearly three times 
that distance by the circuitous route which must be 
traveled. There are no roads and it takes several days 
to make the journey on horseback. The pass is a 
narrow ravine or defile between two wooded hills and 
its strategic advantages are perfectly apparent, 



384 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

although the guide-books say that a rocky eminence 
which formerly overhung the defile has been thrown 
down by earthquakes and the gorge has been consider- 
ably filled up by alluvial deposits brought down by 
mountain torrents, so that the present appearance 
of the pass gives very little idea of what it must have 
been. It resembles hundreds of similar gorges in 
Colorado and other parts of the Rocky Mountains. 
Here Leonidas detained the Persian army under Xerxes 
until the Greeks were able to make a safe retreat. 
The exact spot was afterwards marked by a monument 
with this inscription: 

STRANGER, TELL THE SPARTANS THAT WE ARE 

LYING HERE IN OBEDIENCE TO 

THEIR COMMANDS. 

Due north from Thermopylae is the famous Mount 
Olympus, 9,754 feet high, the home of the gods, 
which, unfortunately, is now on Turkish soil, much to 
the sorrow and mortification of the Greeks. If they 
had their territorial rights they would still include 
that noble peak within their jurisdiction. 

Mount Ossa, 6,398 feet high, lies immediately south 
of Olympus; Mount Pelion is farther to the south, 
rising 5,308 feet above the sea. 

Going westward from Athens, crossing the penin- 
sula by railroad to Corinth, and then turning south- 
ward for fifteen or sixteen miles, we come to Mycenae, 
which was the scene of so much activity in mytho- 
logical times, but its importance dwindled long before 
the dawn of history. It was founded by Perseus, who 
raised the massive walls of the city with the aid of the 
Cyclops. Agamemnon, the great soldier, had his seat 
there, and was not only the ruler of that district but 



SHRINES AND TEMPLES 385 

the chieftain of all the Greeks, of the islands as well as 
the mainland. He led them against Troy and after 
his return was murdered by Aegisthos, the lover of 
his wife, Clytemnestra. Although Orestes, his only 
son, avenged his father's death and his mother's 
shame, when he grew up, the legends do not tell us 
that he regained the throne. 

The tomb of the great Grecian chieftain is well pre- 
served and is one of the most striking examples of 
ancient masonry. It is a sort of underground temple 
in the shape of a bee-hive, fifty feet high, and near it is 
another vaulted sepulcher, supposed to have been the 
tomb of Clytemnestra. Extensive excavations have 
been made at Mycenae by Grecian archeologists under 
the direction of Dr. Schliemann, who disclosed to 
the world the ruins of Troy. It is one of the most 
interesting places in Greece. 

Near the western boundary of Peloponnesus is Olym- 
pia, the scene of the celebrated games, which may be 
reached by railway from Patras, the western port of 
the Gulf of Corinth, more easily than from Athens. 
It was never properly a town, but was a group of 
temples, shrines, palaces, amphitheaters and public 
buildings where the entire Hellenic world used to 
assemble annually, for more than a thousand years, 
and engage in semi-sacred games founded by Hercules 
in the mythical ages. The Olympic games reached 
their greatest importance immediately after the 
Persian wars, when they were partially divested of 
their religious character and became a national festi- 
val in honor of Hellenic unity. Competitors came 
from all the states, the islands and the colonies of 
greater Greece; the functions lasted for five days, 
and a list of the victors was kept in the archives of 



386 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

the state. The record begins B.C. 'J'j6 and is con- 
tinued for several centuries after the Roman occupa- 
tion. The winners enjoyed life-long distinction, were 
entertained annually at banquets and festivals at the 
public expense, and were exempt from taxation. 

During the Roman period Tiberius and Nero them- 
selves engaged in the games, but about the third 
century after Christ athletic sports were degraded by 
the entrance of professionals, and became a trade. 
The Olympic games were finally suppressed by the 
Roman Emperor Theodosius in the year 394. 

Extensive excavations have been made at Olympia 
by the Germans, who have spent several hundred 
thousand dollars uncovering the ruins of temples, 
palaces and amphitheaters which were buried from 
fifteen to twenty feet deep under deposits of sand 
and gravel, washed down by cloud-bursts and floods 
from the mountains, which also undermined the walls 
of the Hippodrome, the Stadium and other of the 
ancient structures. The interest in the excavations at 
one time was as great as that excited at Pompeii, but 
very little of artistic interest was found. 

Still south of Olympia, near the extreme end of the 
peninsula, is the old town of Sparta, which is still the 
capital of the province of Laconia, and a place of con- 
siderable importance. The remains of ancient Sparta, 
however, are scanty and insignificant and, although 
the modern town is beautifully located, it is said to be 
very unhealthy. There is a museum there containing 
a large collection of antiquities, and several of great 
importance. The guides show you an open plain, sur- 
rounded with ditches, where the youthful Spartans 
used to wage their mimic warfare. They show you 
also a rectangular enclosure of massive stones which 



SHRINES AND TEMPLES 387 

they claim to be the ruins of the tomb of Leonidas, 
and several other fictitious scenes of interest. 

For the classical scholar, the historian, the arche- 
ologist, and lovers of the picturesque, there is no 
country more abundant in interest than Greece, and 
although the accommodations are primitive and the 
means of transportation are limited, even the shortest 
visit to the country will be full of gratification. 
Greece is now only four days from London and three 
days from Paris, and in these times, when many 
people have exhausted the novelties of northern 
Europe, they will find the classic grounds of the 
Hellenic peninsula a most satisfactory place of resort. 
Excepting Japan, southern Italy and the Tyrol, no 
country compares with Greece in the beauty of its 
landscapes. The remarkable purity of the atmosphere 
at Athens enhances the effect of artificial as well as 
natural objects of interest. As in Arizona, distances 
are very deceptive. Far-off mountains are brought 
close to the eye as with a field-glass, and as you 
approach them they recede in a most provoking way. 
Hymettus and Pentelikos, the two famous mountains 
which lie on either side of Athens, are often enveloped 
in a curious pink glow at sunset, and then, as the 
flame fades out of the sky, they take on a deep violet 
tinge. The Greek sunset is something that cannot be 
represented on canvas. Artists and poets rave about 
it, but it is beyond their power to reproduce. 

It is not a land for luxurious people, however. The 
climate is more to be recommended than the hotels, 
but the natural scenery has a variety, a richness and a 
color that no other part of Europe affords. The 
foliage and the flowers are abundant and beautiful, and 
in the rural districts the people are picturesque in 



388 The TURK and his LOST PROVINCES 

manners, customs and dress. Their habits and social 
life have not been affected by what we call the 
advances of modern civilization. In public conve- 
niences, however, Greece is still far behind the times. 
Athens is the only place where the hotels are toler- 
able, and travelers who go into the interior must take 
their own provisions and bedding. Even those who 
make little excursions by carriage for a single day in 
the neighborhood of Athens must carry a lunch- 
basket, because the inns are primitive and filthy. 
Railway facilities are limited. With a few exceptions 
the roads are bad, but they are gradually improving, 
and several of the centers of great interest to tourists 
may now be reached by carriage. Only a few years 
ago travelers had to go on horseback or on foot, as 
they do in the Holy Land. Even now those who visit 
some of the most interesting places have to put up 
with discomforts, inconveniences and a good deal of 
dirt and bad smells, although they are fully repaid. 

FINIS. 



INDEX 



Abduction, Prince Alexan- 
der of Bulgaria 

Abdul Aziz 

Abdul Hamid II 

Abdul Medjid 

Abraham, Founder of the 
Turkish Race 

Acropolis of Athens , . 

Adossides, George 

Adriatic Coast 

Agamemnon, Tomb of . . . . 

Agriculture in Bulgaria . . . 

in Bosnia 

in Servia 

in Greece. .342, 

Alexander the Great 

Alexander of Battenberg 
169, 174, 186, 

Alexander of Servia 

Alexander II. of Russia.. 
167, 173, 

Alexander III. of Russia. . 

Alix, Czarina 

Americans in Bulgaria 

American Board of Foreign 
Missions . . . 142, 148, 209, 

American School at Athens 
328, 

Anarchy in Bosnia 

Andrews, Eugene P., Dis- 
covery by 

Archaeological Institute, 
American 328, 



174 
67 
54 
67 

55 

369 

62 

303 
384 
194 
290 
261 
363 
14 

196 
248 

207 
173 
251 
209 

224 

372 
274 

372 



372 



Architecture of Constanti- 
nople 94 

Areopagus, the 379 

Armenians in Constanti- 
nople 103 

Armenian Massacres 161 

Army, Bosnian 280 

Bulgarian 200 

Servian 260, 269 

Turkish 84 

Assassination of Stambou- 

loff 182 

Assassinations of Sultans 55, 67 

Athens, Modern 332 

Streets of 333 

Climate of 333 

Parks of 334 

Public Buildings of 357 
the Acropolis of. 369 

Riots in 349 

Athletic Sports in Greece. . 360 
Atrocities, Bulgarian. 14, 27, 167 

Attar of Roses 194, 207 

Auctions in Constantinople 124 
Austria, Political Attitude 

of 17, 34 

Austrian Soldiers in Bosnia 280 
Administration in 
Bosnia 273 

Baird, Rev. Dr 234 

Bakhmeteff , Mr. , Russian 
Agent, Sofia 185, 216 



389 



390 



INDEX 



PAGE 

Baldwin 1 190 

Bazaars of Constantinople.. 119 

of Sarajevo 284 

Beet-Sugar in Bosnia 290 

Belgrade, City of 257 

Berlin Conference 1878 

14, 27, 273, 304 

Beyler Bey Palace 132 

Bible in Turkish 152, 212 

Biography of Sultan 62 

Bosnia, Development of .. . 296 

Population of 276 

Regeneration of... 273 

Soldiers 281 

Boundaries of Bulgaria 193 

Bosphorus, the 91, 105, 142 

Blackmail in Macedonia. . . 228 

in Turkey 46 

Bribery in Turkey 97 

Bridges, Constantinople... 

40, 107 

Brigandage in Macedonia. . 227 

Brindisi, Port of 311 

Brothers, the Sultan's 68 

Bulgaria, Conditions in 20 

History 165, 195 

Relation to Euro- 
p e a n Politics 

166, 171 

Business in Turkey 

57. 96, no, 120 

Byron, Lord 360 

Castles on the Bosphorus. . 143 

Castle at Belgrade 267 

Cattaro, Town of 303 

Cattle in Bosnia 290 

Servian 261 

Cemeteries, Turkish 112 

Censorship in Turkey 154 



FAOB 

Ceremonies, Mohammedan 

82, 136 

Chambers, the Sultan's ... 76 
Churches, Protestant in 

Turkey 149 

in Bosnia 281 

Children, Sultan's 72, 85 

Cistern of 1,001 Pillars 161 

Cities of Bulgaria 193 

Civilization, Early, in Bal- 
kans 13 

Clark, Rev. Mr 224 

Classic Spirit of Greece 335 

Clytemnestra, Tomb of 385 

Coat of Arms, Turkish 53 

Coffee-Houses, Turkish 47 

College for Girls, Scutari. . 153 
Commerce of Constanti- 
nople Ill 

Concessions, German, in 

Turkey 18 

Conference, Berlin, of 1878 

14, 27, 273, 304 

Consular Trials in Turkey. 156 

Conspiracies in Turkey 56 

in Servia 250 

Constantinople, Pictur- 

esqueness 91 

Filth of 40 

Corfu, Island of 312 

Population of 315 

Climate of 315 

Corinth, Gulf of 318, 325 

Ancient 322 

Modern 322 

Canal of 322 

Excavations at 328 

Corruption among Turkish 

Officials 97 

Costumes, Servian 263 



INDEX 



391 



PAGB 

Costumes, Bulgarian 198 

Greek 319 

Cosmopolitan Population of 

Constantinople 10 1, 107 

Courts in Bosnia 289 

Turkish 157 

Cowardice of Sultan 55 

Crescent as a Symbol 53 

Crime in Bosnia 274 

in Greece 340 

Crown Prince of Greece. . . 351 
Currant Culture in Greece. 318 
Custom House, Constanti- 
nople 97, III 

Belgrade 257 

Customs of Bosnia 279, 287 

Dalmatian Coast 303 

Damascus, Political Exiles 

in 60 

Danube River, the 191 

Dardanelles, the 91 

Delphi, the Oracle of 382 

Demosthenes, Home of 380 

Dickinson, Consul-General 

222, 230, 234 

Diocletian, Palace of 306 

Diogenes, Home of 328 

Diplomatic Protests to Tur- 
key 18 

Dishonesty in Turkey.. 41, 97 

Dogs of Constantinople 113 

Dolma-Baghtcheh Palace . . 

69, 131, 135 

Dorys, George, Biographer 

of Sultan 62 

Draga Oueen of Servia 248 

Education in Bulgaria. 200, 213 
in Greece 338 



PAGE 

Education in Servia 265 

in Turkey. 152 

Editors in Turkey 154 

Electricity Forbidden in 

Turkey 61 

Embassies in Constanti- 
nople 95, 158 

Emigration from Greece. . . 355 
England, Attitude of . . . 14, 34 

Eunuchs, Turkish 85 

Excavations at Corinth. . . , 328 
Agamemnon's Tomb 384 

Bosnia 295 

Delphi 382 

Diocletian's Palace. . 306 

Mycenae , 384 

Olympia 385 

the Acropolis 369 

Thebes 382 

Tanagra 381 

Exiles, Turkish 59 

Extra Territoriality 156 

Eyub, Mosque of 89 

Fanaticism, Religious 26 

Faud, Pasha 59 

Ferdinand, Prince of Bul- 
garia 178, 184, 197 

Children of 186 

Firemen of Constantinople 116 
Foot-Ball in Turkey, Dan- 
gers of 58 

Foreigners in Constanti- 
nople 97 

France, Political Attitude 19 

Franchises in Bosnia 296 

Fruits in Bulgaria 207 

Funerals, Greek 367 

Galata, City of 93 



392 



INDEX 



PAGB 

Gargiulo, Mr 232 

George, King of Greece . . 

313, 346, 351 

German3^ Political Attitude 

of 17. 34 

Gladstone and Bulgaria 167 

and Greece... ,. 314 

Golden Horn 36, 92 

Government, Turkish Sys- 
tem of 35, 49. 97, 102 

Grant, General 64 

Green Vaults of Constan- 

tine 137 

Greeks in Constantinople . . 104 
Greek Church in Constanti- 
nople 352 

in Bulgaria 186 

in Bosnia 296 

Greece, Climate of 387 

Costume of Na- 
tives 319 

Crime in 340 

Currant Culture. . . 318 

Education in 338 

Hotels of 387 

Journey to., 312 

Newspapers of 338 

Olive Trees in 319 

Peasants 343, 363 

Politics 336, 346 

Population 362 

Prisons 342 

Professions 343 

Railways 311 

Society 337 

Guilds in Turkey 121 

Habits, Turkish .45, 109 

Hadji, Rank of 51 

Hamlin, Dr. Cyrus. 146 



PACB 

Harem, The Sultan's 64, 70, 85 

Haskell, Rev. Dr 234 

Hassan Pasha 37 

Heir to Servian Throne .... 251 

to Turkish Throne. . . 68 

Helena, Queen of Italy. ... 252 

Hellespont, the 92 

Historical Review 13 

Homer's School at Stavros . 316 

Holy Banner, Bosnian.. 55, 136 

Holy Mantle. 40, 55, 136 

Hotel at Belgrade 259 

Hotels, Government, in Bos- 
nia 297 

Horses, Bulgarian 201 

in Constantinople ... 11 1 

the Sultan's 88 

House, Rev. John Henry. . 

211, 217, 232 

Household, the Sultan's.. 

79. 68, 85 

Hymettus, Mount 380 

Intemperance in Turkey. . . 46 
Ismet Bey, Sultan's Foster- 

Brother 75 

Ithaca, Island of 313 

Jajce, Bosnia 301 

Janissaries 135 

Jews in Bosnia 299 

in Bulgaria 203 

in Servia 264 

in Constantinople 104 

John, St., of Ryle 186 

Justice, Turkish 157 

Kallay, Count von. Admin- 
istration of, in Bosnia . . . 273 

Kalpak, Bulgarian Head- 
dress 209 



INDEX 



393 



PAGE 

Karageorgeovitch Family. . 

244, 253 

Kassuroff, Mrs. Ivan B 214 

Khans of Constantinople. . . 119 
Kidnaping in Macedonia. . . 227 
Kindergarten in Sofia 212 

Labor Unions in Turkey . . 121 

Lamsdorff, Count 25 1 

Land Laws in Bosnia 289 

Langfuage, Bulgarian 194 

Modern Greek. . 348 

Servian 266 

Law Schools in Bosnia 294 

Law, Turkish 157 

Leishman, Minister 232 

Leonidas, Battle of 382 

Ludskanoff, Bulgarian Min- 
ister 1B3 

Luke, St., Tomb of 302 

Macedonia, Conditions in. . 

15, 30. 168 

Macedonian Committee 26, 239 

Mahmoud Pasha 69, 314 

Manufacturing in Bosnia.. 292 

Marathon, Battle of 381 

Marco Bozzaris 360 

Mark Antony, Scene of 

Battle 315 

Market at Belgfrade 261 

Marmora, Sea of 91 

Mars Hill 378 

Marsh, Rev, Geo. L 211 

Massacres, Armenian 

41, 103, 161 

in Bosnia 293 

in Bulgaria 15, 27, 31 

in Macedonia. 15, 30, 168 
Mecca, Pilgrimages to. .51, 83 
Methodists in Bulgaria 210 



PAGE 

Metkovic, Town of 304 

Michael, King of Servia. . . 

245, 269 

Milan, King of Servia 247 

Milos, King of Servia 245 

Military Policy in Bosnia. . 281 
Minarets of Constantinople 93 
Mirko, Prince of Monte- 
negro 251 

Missionaries in Constanti- 
nople 148 

Mohammedans Converted 

to Christianity 151 

Mohammedan Fanaticism.. 

26, 44, 49, 63, 188 

Religion 43, 54, 83 

112, 286 

Monastery of Ryle 186 

Mosques of Constantinople 

82, 94, III, 118, 126, 136 

Mosques of Sarajevo 286 

Montenegro, Royal Family 

of 251, 303 

Moulahs 43 

Mountains of Bosnia 278 

Murad V 67 

Music, Sultan's Love of. . . 77 
Mycenae 384 

Natalie, Queen of Servia.. 247 
Naturalized Americans in 

Turkey 100 

Navy, Turkish 36 

Nephews, the Sultan's .... 71 
Newspapers, the Sultan's 

Ideas of 80 

in Turkey 154 

Greek 338 

Odyssey, Scenes of the. . . . 316 



394 



INDEX 



Oil of Roses 207 

Olga, Queen of Greece 348 

Olive Trees in Greece 319 

Olympia, Games of 385 

Orient Express 191 

Ossa, Mount 384 

Ottoman Bank Affair 42 

Palace at Athens 333 

Belgrade , . . . . 260 

Beyler-Bey. 132 

Dolma - Baghtcheh . . 

69, 131, 135 

Tcheragan 67 

Yildiz Kiosk.. 55, 79, 131 

Parliament, Bulgarian 170 

of Greece 345 

Parnassus, Mount 324, 383 

Parthenon, the 369 

Passports in Turkey 100 

Patras, Town of 317 

Patrick, Miss Mary M 153 

Paul, St. , at Corinth 330 

Peasants in Bulgaria 204 

Greek 325, 343 

Peddlers in Constantinople no 

Peet, W. W 232 

Pelion, Mount. 384 

Pentelikos, Quarries of 332 

Pera, Cityof 93 

Philip of Macedon. . . 13, 53, 208 

Philippopolis 208 

Photographs of Moslems. . . 50 

Pigeons in Turkey 118 

Pilgrims, Moslem 51, 83 

Police, Bosnian 282 

Political Jealousies in Eu- 
rope 14. 34 

Politics, Turkish 56 

in Greece.. ..... .336, 346 



PAOB 

Popoff, Rev. Marko ... 211 

Population of Bosnia 276 

of Bulgaria 193, 209 

of Constantinople 102 

of Corfu 315 

of Greece 362 

of Macedonia 32 

of Servia 264 

Porter, General Horace 362 

Porte, the Sublime 92, 135 

Postal Service in Turkey. . 160 

Priests in Greece 352 

Mohammedan 

43. 102, III 

Prisons'in Bosnia 277 

in Greece 342 

in Servia 268 

Products of Bulgaria 203 

Professions in Greece 343 

Protestants in Bulgaria 209 

in Constantinople.. . . 149 

Prunes, ""Servian 261 

Public Buildings in Athens 357 

Ragusa, Town of 304 

Railways in Balkans 191 

in Bosnia 277 

in Greece 311, 325 

in Turkey 105 

Ransoms paid in Mace- 
donia 228 

Rebellion in Balkans.. .15, 30 
Religious Character, Sul- 
tan's 83 

Religions in Balkans 32, 34 

Richardson, Professor 374 

Riots in Athens 349 

Robert College 70, 142 

Roman Occupation of Bal- 
kans 14 



INDEX 



395 



Roman Remains in Bosnia. 295 
Roman Catholics in Bosnia 298 
Roumania, Conditions in . . 20 

Rugs, Turkish 112 

Rumelia, Eastern 15 

Rumili Hisar 143 

Russian Interference in 

Balkans 14. 34, i65 

Russo-Turkish War 14, 34 

Said Pasha 38 

Salona, Town of 306 

Salamis, Island of 379 

San Stefano, Treaty of. .14, 168 

Sarafoflf, Boris 28, 230 

Sarajevo, Capital of Bosnia 277 
Schools, Protestant in Tur- 
key 150 

in Bulgaria 2 13 

Mohammedan 43 

Scutari, City of 93 

Womeh's College.. 153 

Schuyler, Eugene 167, 172 

Selamlik, the 82 

Seraglio, the 55, 92, 132 

Servia, Independence of. . . 244 

Conditions in 20 

Kings of 245, 269 

Conspiracies 250 

Capital of 257 

Palace of 260 

Population of 264 

Political Situation. . 243 

Sheik-ul-Islam 44, 83, loi 

Shepherd, a Greek 321 

Shipka, Battle of 207 

Shopping in Constantinople 120 

Sisters, the Sultan's 70 

Sobranje, the Bulgarian . . . 
170, 176 



Skupshtina, Servian Par- 
liament 259 

St. Sophia, Mosque of 126 

Sofia, City of 195 

Softas 43 

Society in Greece 336 

Socrates, Prison of 380 

Spalato, Town of 306 

Stadium at Athens 359 

Stambouloff, Stepan 

175, 182, 196 

Stamboul, City of 92 

Stavreff, the Assassin 182 

Stoiloff, Minister of Bul- 
garia 180 

Stone, Miss Ellen N 

16, 187, 217, 235 

Streets of Constantinople . . 95 
Students in Constantinople 147 

Sublime Porte, the 92, 135 

Sultan, Family of 54 

Habits of 35, 49, 50, 

54, 61, 63, 75 82 

Jewels 139 

Policy of 23,. 63 

Skill in Diplomacy 17 

Superstitions 61 , 75 

Superstitions, Turkish 118 

Sultanas, the 65, 85 

Tanagra, Excavations at,. 381 

Taxes in Bulgaria ..... 202 

Telephones in the Balkans. 192 

in Turkey 61 

Temperance of Moslems • . . 46 

Tesla, Nikola 300 

Thebes. 382 

Themistocles, Tomb of 379 

Thermopylae, Pass of 383 

Timotheus at Corinth 330 



396 



INDEX 



Timova, Ancient Capital. . i88 

Titles of the Sultan 55 

Tobacco in Bosnia 290 

Tombs of the Sultans 89 

Trajan, Emperor 14 

Travel in Greece 312 

Treasury of the Sultan 137 

Treaty of Berlin 14, 27, 273, 304 

Tsilka, Mr. and Mrs 218 

Turkish Characteristics 

45. 109, 112 

Cruelties 293 

Virtues 289 

Invasion of Balkans 14 

Ulysses, Landing Place 313 



PAOB 

Vaciloff, C3nil 222 

Vatralsky, Stoyan 216 

Virtues of the Turks 289 

Vulkovitch, Assassination 
of 182 

Wealth of Greeks 354 

Wages in Bulgaria. 202 

Washburn, Rev. Dr. . , , . . . 144 
Women of Constantinople.. 109 
Worship in Bosnia 296 

Yachts, the Embassy 159 

Yildiz Kiosk 55, 79, 80, 131 

"Young Turkey" Party 24, 67 



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